Now here’s a thought I need to remember. I was reading As Bill Sees It and his words; that adversity gives us more opportunity to grow than does comfort or success. From my experience, I can say “amen” to that.
The only thing that ever entered my life from comfort or success was probably complacency. Leaning back and putting my feet up and just snoozing. Ah, that’s nice.
However, when things got rough, that became the test of my willingness to practice these principles I have learned in here. In fact, it was the harsh reality of my bottom, which got me to change my whole life by coming to this program. Had alcohol offered me comfort and success, I’d probably be dead by now. But it was pain and discomfort, which forced me to do something other than take a drink.
What it did was force me to pray and ask for help with my inability to stop drinking. It helped me to decide to come to this program. The very thought of what had happened made me willing to go to any lengths to stay sober. The memory of my bottom helped push me on through the Steps so that I could experience their saving grace and change.
In fact, in the Tenth Step in the 12&12 it talks about the pains of failure (having tried and failed). It says that these become can become assets in our attempts at spiritual growth. Then it says that pain is the touchstone of all spiritual growth. All spiritual growth. Not comfort or success.
I know that I have had my share on any given day. I know well the discomfort, which came with my struggles in trying to put this program into effect in my life. The bumps and injuries I suffered within, when I would find myself wandering off the path. When I would get off the beam. That’s when I learned to practice what my sponsor told me; when all else fails, follow directions. Pain would get me to follow directions, when nothing else could.
I was thinking about adversity tonight. In a funny way, it’s almost like thinking about grace. But then, Bill W. said that the seeking of virtue and practicing the principles of this program wasn’t something any of us sought voluntarily. Pain drove us to it. How grateful I have to be for this kind of pain. I certainly have a lot of gratitude for the pain of my final day of drinking. It saved my life and a whole lot more. It got me sober.