Have A Blessed Easter

Matthew 27:66

Good Friday

Step 1 - Powerless - Conclusion

Powerless:  “devoid of strength or resources; lacking the authority or capacity to act”.

Step 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addition(s) and compulsive behaviors that our lives had become unmanageable.

Welcome back folks.  Today we will conclude our discussion on the “powerless” part of Step 1, even though we are never finished with this realization. 

Last time we talked about the power that our mind has.  It’s ability to convince us that the Lie is the Truth, even when we know better.  It’s that obsession of the mind that keeps us in our addictive state. 

The mind – a terrible thing to waste - true.  But it is also a huge enemy of our Recovery.

Our minds can make us believe that it’s everyone else’s fault.  I drank/used because she did this or he did that.  I had a bad day at work and I deserve to go out and have a good time.  Man, this weather is so depressing, I need a drink.  I’ll show them, if they want to accuse me of it, then I’ll just go and do it.  Yada yada.  Do you get what we’re saying here? 

At the same time, our mind can convince us that “we didn’t do that”.  You know like the morning after when everyone tells you how you behaved the night before.  Or when you go out to get into your vehicle and there’s a dent in the fender.  Or when you pull up Facebook and see the pictures and declare that that isn’t you.  Or the countless other things that we tell ourselves and others that we didn’t do even though we did.

Additionally, our minds can make us believe that we are okay.  We don’t have a problem.  We can handle it.  We won’t do that again.  Etc. Etc. 

It’s this part of being powerless that leads to the unmanageability of our lives.  Denying that we don’t have a problem when it is so apparent to others that we do.  Telling ourselves that we can handle it only to get smashed the very next time we drink/use.  Declaring that we won’t act that way again only to behave even worse the next time we pick up/use.    

Think about it.  Have you ever came to and didn’t know where you were?  Have you ever came to and couldn’t remember how you got home?  Have you ever been arrested due to your using/drinking?  Have you ever Hurt someone that you cared about or loved because of your using or drinking?  Have you ever lied about your drinking or using?  Have you ever gone to work high or buzzed?  Have you ever had the shakes?  Have you ever found yourself irritable and thought that if I just had a drink I’d be better?  Have you ever stolen anything to support your using? 

These are things that most of us would not normally do…..yet we do them.  And sadly, we can’t help it.  Because we are powerless over our addiction/compulsive behavior….our life has become unmanageable. 

Ponder these things and reflect on examples from your own unmanageable life.  Be honest with yourself.   It’s said that it has to hurt to heal.  That’s where we will pick it up next time.

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”    

 

 

 

 

 

Step 1 - Powerless- Part 3

Welcome back folks.  Last time we left off asking some questions about examples of your powerlessness.

So what did you discover?   Did you see where you might be just a little bit powerless over your addiction and behavior?  If you were honest with this, you should have seen times when you were.  That’s what this is saying here.  It’s not a knock you down some more, make fun of you, disgrace you thing.  It’s a “hey man, me too”.  It’s the admission of our powerlessness that opens the door to our Recovery. 

Our minds are powerful entities.  It has been said that the mind has the ability to heal and to kill.  Harnessing the power of their mind, people have been able to accomplish what was otherwise physically impossible.  Our mind can be both an asset and a liability. 

It’s that liability that we are going to discuss right now.  Our stinking thinking if you will.  In our addictive state we believe the lies that our mind tells us is the Truth.  We can talk ourselves into doing things that we normally wouldn’t be caught dead doing.  Yet we do them and believe that it’s okay!  You know what I’m saying.  We lie, steal, cheat, drink and drug. We become convinced that we are “the man or woman”, that we are better than others and that we don’t have a problem.  We tell ourselves that it’s okay to cheat on our spouse, its okay to be late, it’s okay to say this or that.  It’s alright to hit him or her, it’s alright to do this or that and an infinite number of other lies. 

Herein lays the problem.  Our mind can convince us that, we are okay, we can handle it and we’re not that bad.  In essence, “I don’t have a problem”!  Sound familiar?  I know right!  I used to think the same way.  It’s true.  For years I lived in that illusory state that had me convinced that I was okay, I’d do better next time, I can handle it, I don’t need help etc.  But, you know what?  I wasn’t Okay, I never did better.  I most certainly couldn’t handle it.  Truth is, I was “Living in the Lie”. (posted earlier read it)

That’s where we’ll pick it up next time.  Additionally, we’ll begin to take a look at the unmanageability of our lives.  Understanding the “unmanageable” parts helps us to see the powerlessness sometimes.

Until then ……. be sure to tell a friend about us.

Thanks for visiting us – come back soon.

Remember:  “It is what it is and “it ain’t nothing but a thing!”