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The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is not just a program on how to quit drinking, it is a way of life that teaches you how to live sober. Alcoholics Anonymous: Step 2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. The second step is a lot more complex then you might imagine. The problem is that so many people read or hear this and say "Ok, fine, Higher Power, whatever." And they move on and try to start the next step. You actually have to BELIEVE that there is a Higher Power, and you have to BELIEVE that Higher Power can restore you to sanity. This does not happen right away. Either 1, the alcoholic doesn't believe in God, or what he feels your idea of God is. Or 2, the alcoholic who thinks they have a good understanding of God has, during his drinking, turned his back to God and it will take some time to turn back around. Step 2 is not a step you can simply think about for 5 minutes and check it off your list (none of the 12 steps are). The second step is more about believing as much as you are able to. The longer you are in the Alcoholics Anonymous program and work the 12 Steps, the more you will be able to grow and your beliefs will deepen. Things that used to be unclear to you become clear. It is very similar to a tree, as the tree grows, the roots grow deeper and deeper. The first 3 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are your roots. These are your foundation for growth. Truly believing that a "Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity" is a very daunting task to most alcoholics. By the time they hit their "rock bottom", they usually have long since given up on any hope that there is a God. They certainly have given up any chance of Devine intervention pulling them out of the gutter. This is such a huge hurdle for the alcoholic, to actually BELIEVE that a Power greater than them can restore them to sanity. It's one thing to say it, it is another thing altogether to actually believe it. This is why this step is a process. Think about it for a minute. If I told you that you need to believe that a pig can fly, it would probably take some doing to convince you of this. I can't just tell you that I believe it, you have to see "proof" to actually believe it yourself. The alcoholic needs proof as well. The proof doesn't pop out of thin air. It is subtle, and happens over time. The more the alcoholic works the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, the more he can see that his life is starting to become more manageable. The more he talks to other alcoholics whose story is every bit as bad, or even worse than his own, the more he is willing to accept that a Higher Power has helped restore their lives to sanity. It is just a matter of time that the alcoholic will come to believe that there is a Higher Power and that Higher Power can restore his life to sanity. It won't happen overnight. We believe in "spiritual progress, not perfection". As long as the alcoholic makes an honest effort to understand and to believe, then they are on the right path. If they continue the path that has been laid out before them, they will continue to stay sober today. And that is the whole idea. Stay sober, one day at a time.
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Adolph K. Reekie is a freelance writer. For more information about Cocaine Drug Test visit Drug Test Store at www.detoxland.com
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