Each and every action that we do is preceded by a thought. We can’t do anything without thinking it first, no matter how long or fleeting the thought may be. Thoughts are the powerful items in our systems that lead to everything that we do. This is why we say “Change your thoughts and change your actions.” Before every drink is the thought. It could be a quick “Sounds good” or it could be a drinking dream lasting far longer periods of time. The quick, fleeting thoughts may be the most dangerous for us because, when we have the drinking dream or drinking thinking when driving by the liquor store, we have time to change our thoughts. If we are in a wet place like a bar or wedding reception and someone puts a drink in front of or near us we could pick it up “almost automatically.” The idea was there.
This is why Spiritually and the AA Program are as essential to our well being as water and air. If I am working my AA Program to the best of my ability 24/7/365 and, when working it, doing this as is suggested by others and the Big Book, my Higher Power will not let me pick up that drink when, for whatever reason, I am in a wet place. I was the recipient of this powerful help when relatively new to the program. I was just under two years in and had a blackout experience without drinking. I do not remember going to work that day, just remembering after having been at work for several hours.
During this time, I discovered that we had been in several bars during tense happenings and not drinking. I was a crew chief of a Precinct Big 4, or Cruiser, which responded to felony in progress and disturbance calls for help. I discovered later that we had been in several bars where we were always offered drinks and I did not drink. I had been working my program to the best of my ability 24/7/365, also to the best of my ability for some time leading up to this.
Today, I firmly believe that, since I do not recall the time, it had to be my Higher Power that kept me from drinking. This would have been the ideal time for me to pick up if I did not have this amazing Program because I do not remember it at all. Why do I say this? Because, without the Program, I would not have this relationship with my Higher Power, who I now choose to call God. AA introduced me to a God that was always there, but I was not ready to acknowledge this.
The God that I knew before AA and the Spirituality that it teaches was a punishing, judgmental God in Human Male Form, sitting on a golden throne up there “in the sky” somewhere damning and punishing me. The God that I met here is not out there. It is inside me and everyone loving, forgiving, and guiding me 24/7/365. All I have to do is use It this way. Today, I choose to believe that God is this loving, non judgmental Power that only wants the best for me. This is the God that guided me to stay away from drinking in the above and continues showering me with Divine Guidance and Wisdom. This is why I can try to work my program 24/7/365 and get repaid handsomely by His Divine Guidance and Wisdom. This is why today I am Happy, Joyous, and Free.