AA Recovery Wisdom from the Rooms
“Understanding that I cannot figure it out is part of figuring it out.”
I hear some pearls of wisdom at AA meetings. This was one.
Acceptance Matters More Than Explaining Alcoholism
Early in my Program life, I learned that figuring out why I was an alcoholic was not important.
What mattered was acknowledging that fact.
That acceptance was part of my growth; understanding that I could not figure it out was part of figuring it out.
In my Program life, I have been puzzled about how the Program works and why it works. My sponsor pointed out that the 12 Steps never mention drinking or, more importantly, stopping drinking. The words “now we stopped drinking” were nowhere to be found.
But again, acceptance was part of the progress I made in the Program. I accepted that doing the work suggested in the Steps would relieve me of the desire to drink, and it did.
And that acceptance was part of my growth; understanding that I could not figure it out was part of figuring it out.
Faith, the 12 Steps, and the Humility of Not Knowing
And in my spiritual life, I learned that it was neither important nor possible to understand how God worked.
It was only necessary that I:
- seek knowledge of His will for me,
- ask for the power to carry it out,
- accept the need to do the work,
- and allow that acceptance to become part of my spiritual development.
Accepting the need to do this work was all that I needed to achieve a level of God consciousness, and that acceptance was part of my spiritual development.
And that acceptance was part of my growth; understanding that I could not figure it out was part of figuring it out.
“Understanding that you cannot figure it out is part of figuring it out.”
Aphoristic wisdom.
Books to Support Your Twelve Step Journey
If you’re looking to explore Step work, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation more deeply, check out The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts. These books offer insights, reflections, and real-life recovery experience that complement the journey through the Twelve Steps.
The books in The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts can be purchased through my estore or the major online book retailers. Look for GEMS, More GEMS, Still More GEMS, and More GEMS Revealed.
FAQ
Why is acceptance important in AA recovery?
Acceptance helps a person stop arguing with the reality of alcoholism and begin doing the work of recovery. It can become the starting point for growth.
Do you have to understand why you are an alcoholic to recover?
This reflection suggests that understanding why is less important than acknowledging the truth and taking the suggested actions of recovery.
Why do the 12 Steps not focus directly on drinking?
The post points out that the Steps focus on spiritual and personal change. In the author’s experience, doing that work relieved the desire to drink.
How does faith fit into alcoholism recovery?
Faith appears here as a willingness to seek God’s will and ask for the power to carry it out, even without fully understanding how God works.
What does “not figuring it out is part of figuring it out” mean?
It means that humility, acceptance, and willingness can be more useful in recovery than needing a complete explanation for everything.
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