Today I got to hear about a whole lot of problems from several people. Family problems, relationship problems, financial problems, living problems, job problems, health problems. Problems, problems, problems.
What’s the answer besides going back out and taking a drink to fix them? Has a drink ever fixed any problem? Not in my lifetime. And never will. If anything it has made most of my problems worse.
If I read the BB correctly there are a whole lot of answers to these problems we all suffer from in time. Like the Book said, There Is A Solution. Sandy B. tells us that none of the above named problems says that behind each of these problems there is a spiritual solution. But that’s what each problem really is. How does this work?
I was talking to an old friend of mine today. They presented a number of problems. I thought about what it is that has worked in my life, as a result of this program. Right away I thought about what the chapter We Agnostics said. Lack of power that was our dilemma. When it came to my alcoholic problem, I definitely lacked power. I couldn’t stop drinking. Yet, when I came to this program I had stopped drinking. How did that happen? The program answered that with the 2nd Step. We Agnostics says that I had to get a higher power other than myself. Something which could empower me to live this life the right way, instead of the way I had been living. Guess what? It worked.
In my relationships I have found that practicing these principles in all of my affairs was the beginning of the solution. Through the practice of the steps I came to understand things I had never understood before. I began to see what brought about the evolution of others lives. I began to be able to practice tolerance. I learned to mind my own business and not to try to solve the problems of others over which I was powerless. I learned to keep my mouth shut and my nose clean. All this with the support of my higher power through the practice of prayer and the other Steps.
The financial and job problems were relatively simple. It’s in the promises.
The health problems I see in my own life daily and the lives of others around me and I see so much serenity and peace of mind, calm, resulting from trust in the will of God. Something I knew nothing about before I came here. I’ve observed so many over the years and often had to step back in awe of what I’ve seen and experienced.
And no one, whom I’ve seen working this program, including myself, ever stepped back out the door and took a drink. An old timer of some 90 odd years and over 40 years in the program describes his experiences this way, “I’m trying. I’m always trying. I guess I’ll still be trying until the end of my life.” Not necessarily always succeeding, but still trying.
Most of the problems I’ve had to face come from almost the same source. I can find them and the solutions in my 6th and 7th Steps. Bill tells us that if God could remove the drink problem how much more he can do with all our other problems. When I have taken the time and effort to face these in trying to correct what’s wrong with me, a lot of what I thought were overwhelming problems began to fade.
How many times has my fighting everyone and everything, including alcohol, been at the heart of my insanity? Yet, when I reached the 10th Step I was told that by this time sanity will have returned. I stopped fighting everyone and everything, even alcohol. I was free at last.
Fred, in the chapter More on Alcoholism, tells us that when he was able to throw away his old ideas, life long convictions, not only was the drink problem solved, but he also discovered that spiritual principles would solve all his problems. My experience has told me he was right.
The answer is always the same. It’s simple. Don’t drink, practice the spiritual principles of this program everyday, go to meetings, work with another alcoholic. In God’s time the answers always come. That’s been my experience. And my experience has been imperfect. But I’m still trying.