Part of the tenets of the twelve steps of Adult Children of Alcoholics Anonymous is surrendering to a higher power. The second step is:
“Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
Over the years I have spoken with others who are on their road to recovery and healing, who do not believe in God. I am not here to try to convince you one way or another. What works for me may not work for you.
However, I did want to share the concept of a higher power. If the word “God” is too strong for your personal beliefs, I wanted to focus on a different perspective. When I am working on the twelve steps, I focus on the importance of letting go to a higher power. For me, that means that I’m able to put my life in perspective with the larger world.
As a kid, I was drawn to science and astronomy. I looked up at the stars and tried my best to understand the immense magnitude of creation. Did God make the universe? Does the universe just come to be on its own? I don’t know the answers to those questions, but knowing that there are billions of galaxies and that the visible universe is billions of light-years across puts things into perspective.
I feel solace in coming outside myself and thinking that a higher power can help restore sanity to my world. Even if that higher power is God, or isn’t God, I need to see that there are others who can help me. I do not need to carry this weight all alone on my shoulders.
And I think that’s a key point that’s necessary for me to accept.
I am not alone, and I do not have to stress tirelessly myself to continually solve all the problems around me. It’s not healthy for me to look at life that way. Instead, what is important is for me to understand what I can solve in my life, and what I need help with on my journey.
If you do not believe in God, that’s okay.
All that matters is that you find a way to embrace this simple fact: You do not always have to carry a burden on your own. You can (and will) get help if you allow yourself to be helped.
For today, I hope you take some time to relax, ease up on yourself, and give yourself a hug.
Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.