I received this in an email. I thought it could be a nice addition to our discussion on surrender. 

The quote below is from the book Stools & Bottles. This book was written by the same author as The Little Red Book. Both books were used the take beginners through the steps in the early days of program.

Stools & Bottles — Day 19 Nineteenth Daily Reminder —

A sincere group of newcomers, discussing the various merits of the AA program, agreed that without surrender an alcoholic could not recover from his illness. There was one dissenter who flatly condemned surrender as a negative mental attitude, branding it, “the cowardly act of a defeatist.”

Daily Inventory —

Who was right? Are we defeatists? Is surrender so vital to our recovery? What is it that we surrender? How do we go about it.

Suggested Meditation — 

Foolhardy describes the behavior of a diabetic who, refusing insulin, gorges himself with sugar. Insane describes the behavior of an alcoholic who will not admit his illness and keeps on drinking. We do not ignore broken bones. We have them set. Alcoholism is like a broken bone for us. Asking God to set this alcoholic fracture is a mark of intelligence. Surrender, to be sure, but only to a constructive power.

Spiritual Contact —

Our Father, save us from intellectual folly. Elevate us above the hairsplitting of words. Show us the logic of surrendering our alcoholism to You.

Daily Physical Audit —

We cannot choose the body we start life with, but we are responsible for its daily care. There are members who do not seem to understand that God does not help us physically when we refuse to help ourselves. They vainly pray for help instead of calling upon a surgeon to remove an infected appendix, tooth or tonsil. We should not delay taking our health problems to capable doctors with whom God has so abundantly supplied us.

Hazelden Foundation