Hi Everyone!
It has been so long since I have posted an individual summary of our meetings. I think that I am out of practice!
Every week, I am so grateful to everyone for showing up each week so early in the morning for our wonderful group.
The book we are reading, Prayer and Meditation – A Practical Guide To The life Promised in Step 11 by Tom R. appears simple, but, it is actually very deep. This week, we read up to page 71:0.
The chapter began with a quote from one of my favorite authors, Viktor E. Frankl from his book, Man’s Search For Meaning:
“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.”
Since I am such a great fan of Dr. Frankl, I shared with the group some of his great insights, while trying to incorporate program principles.
We are here to make a change! When we stop — pause — and listen to the still small voice inside — we connect to our unique gifts and talents and what we can contribute to the world.
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.” ― Viktor E. Frankl,
According to Dr. Frankl, everyone needs meaning and purpose in their lives, and that is what creates a will to live.
“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” ― Victor Frankl
We cannot be responsible for people places and things, and in the end, the only control that we do have is how we respond to what happens to us – no matter what and in all circumstances.
“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” ― Victor Frankl
We always have the choice to respond in a God-centered or in a self-centered way.
The chapter this week focused on praying to know God’s will for us and accessing the Power to carry it out.
Here are my notes:
The chapters we read today focused on …. “praying for KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL for us and the POWER TO CARRY THAT OUT.”
The chapter asks 2 very excellent questions:
- What is God’s will for me?
- Can God’s will for me be known definitively?
The author concludes that it is possible for an individual to know what is God’s will for them. Because, otherwise he asks, “Why would I be directed to seek both God AND His will if it were not knowable or attainable?”
Tom R. also gave a great suggestion for how to know what the will of God is for us, using the Big Book as a guide.
Tom R. suggests that any time there is a promise, we can assume this is the will of God for us.
Exercise on “What is God’s will for me?”
As a group we practiced the following exercise:
On the top of a sheet of paper, write down as fast as you can 1 or 2 words per line, what you KNOW to be the absolute will of God for you.
THE WILL OF GOD FOR ME IS:
To be honest
Pursue peace
Value silence.
At the bottom of the sheet write:
YOU ARE MY ___________________ finish the sentence with one desired promise from your list of things you believe God wills for you to have.
For example:
YOU GOD ARE MY ABILITY TO_ be honest, to pursue peace, and to guard silence.
YOU GOD ARE MY ABILITY TO love.
This style of meditation focuses on the source (God) and the present moment (are).
So, when I say You ARE my ___________________ I am bringing God into the present moment to provide this for me.
We then discussed the last part of the step: having the POWER TO CARRY OUT GOD’S WILL.
We looked at what we wrote earlier and asked:
What is the will of God?
We wrote down:
THE WILL OF GOD FOR ME IS …………..
YOU GOD ARE MY ……….
Then, we prayed: “If this is Your will, please give me the Power to carry it out.”
Homework:
For homework, we are going to follow his suggestion to take the promises found in the Big Book on pages 63 and 83-84 and redefine them as God’s will, using the format:
YOU GOD ARE MY ABILITY TO (BE) ___________________
We are now starting the heart and soul of emotional sobriety: living in the solution, seeking conscious contact with the God of our understanding and carrying the message to those who still suffer.
Thank you all for sharing your experience, strength and hope. I am so grateful we are sharing this journey together!
“Together we can do what we can never do alone.”
In love and service,
Shira
Emotional Sobriety And Food 