From rude awakening to spiritual awakening

[Caressa2]

"When a need arises for us to admit our powerlessness, we may first look for ways to exert power against it. After exhausting these ways, we begin sharing with others and find hope."

Basic Text, 79

We've sometimes heard it said in our meetings that 'rude awakenings lead to spiritual awakenings." What kind of rude awakenings do we have in recovery? Such an awakening might occur when someone undesirable bit our behavior that we thought safely hidden away is suddenly revealed for all the world to see. Or our sponsor might provoke such an awakening by informing us that, just like everyone else, we have to work the steps if we expect to stay clean and recover.

Most of us hate to have our covers pulled; we don't like being laid naked in full view. The experience delivers a strong dose of humility. Our first reaction to such a disclosure is usually shock and anger; yet we recognize the truth when we hear it. What we ae having is a rude awakening.

Such awakenings often disclose barriers that block us from making spiritual progress in our recovery. Once those barriers are exposed, we can work the steps to begin removing them from our lives. We can begin experiencing the healing and serenity which are the ppreludes to a renewed awakening of the spirit.

Just for today: I will recognize the rude awakenings I have as opportunitieis to grow towarod spiritual awakening.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The best tool I found in recovery for change and continued growth in my program, was the fact that everytime I found myself pointing a finger at someone, I was reminded that Step Ten says that there has to be something in me to recognize the fault or the goodness of another. It took me a long time to become aware of the goodness and not just the faults, especially when they say for every finger you point out you have three coming back at you. Which meant, I had to find three good things about myself and that was difficult, it was much easier to find the negative.