Post
118
WHERE’S
THE POWER?
LETTING
GO or GIVING UP
This past weekend, I was blessed to attend an
international conference of recovery … recovery from compulsive gambling and recovery associated with having a
loved one who suffers from gambling addiction.
During the workshops slated for each perspective, stories of true
recovery were shared. Over and over, the
letting go testimonies told about
strength gained and developing new
awareness of self. Where once the
attention focused on the uncontrollable urges to gamble OR on the gambler, the
person now in recovery discovers a new freedom to reject the urges OR,
respectively, accept a life created for
her/himself.
Uniquely with disordered gambling, the “power” seems to be found (by the gambler) in self-assurance that there will always be a
chance for the big win. Convinced of
this, problems grow as chasing losses takes precedence. Why
give up when there’s always a chance?
Then too, take the individual who
gambles for the risk-taking excitement or the one who gambles to escape life’s
pressures … a sense of control - for the moment – brings “relief”. What then is there to give up??
Sadly with the addiction, the gambling continues and loved ones find their lives
encircled by mounting debts, anger, and fear.
In either case, what’s to give
up? The addiction escalates and relationships deteriorate. It’s hard to see life, otherwise, when caught
in the midst of addiction. Addiction speaks, addiction acts … life becomes
dependent on addictive thinking.
My friends at the conference, however, spoke of letting go … not giving up or giving-in. Letting go carries with it a purposeful
opening of a door to new possibilities.
Letting go claims more for the present than the status-quo. There can truly be a difference - though, at
first, it may seem impossible. Letting
go makes room for a power-greater-than-ourselves to show us new ways of coping
with problems (including the urges to gamble OR berate the gambler) - and
forming healthy relationships (inside and
outside of the family).
Looking over the 12 Steps of Recovery, I see a
roadmap of letting-go and attaining newness of life.
Starting
with Step 1, let the journey begin!
·
Step
1:
Letting go of feeling/living powerless
over gambling/the gambling problem
Attaining and admitting to an awareness of reality
·
Step
2:
Letting go of depending only upon myself
Attaining the belief that there is a
power-greater-than-ourselves that can restore my life to normalcy
·
Step
3:
Letting
go of
being in control of my recovery
Attaining
experiences
of emotional strength that were not derived from me alone
·
Step
4:
Letting
go of
erroneous estimations of my financial status and personal and moral self-image
Attaining
realistic
awareness of my circumstances and who I am – both positive and negative
·
Step
5:
Letting
go
of fear as to what others will think of me
Attaining
the
feeling of freedom from inner secrets that have held me hostage
·
Step
6:
Letting
go of
fear and shame, in general
Attaining
the
courage and drive to commit to my recovery program
·
Step
7:
Letting
go of
pride and prideful self-images connected to my addiction
Attaining
the willingness and expectation that God (of my own understanding) will remove
the character defects that have bonded me to my addiction and unhealthy
lifestyle
·
Step
8:
Letting
go of
denial about my relationships with others
Attaining
fresh
insight as to my responsibilities of repair in my relationships
·
Step
9:
Letting
go of
relational wounds
Attaining
opportunities
for restored friendship, love, and connection … as well as taking the
responsibility not to re-inflict
wounds upon others
·
Step
10:
Letting
go of
any unhealthy, disruptive, and counter-productive
moral, spiritual, and/or financial issues that may begin to develop
Attaining
growing self-insight and awareness
·
Step
11:
Letting
go of
relying only on myself
Attaining
deeper
awareness of God’s presence, strength, peace, and will in and for my daily life
·
Step
12:
Letting
go of
self-isolation and fear of reaching out to help others
Attaining
deeper
awareness of the principles of recovery … and new friends!
For specific wording on the Gamblers
Anonymous/Gam-Anon Twelve Steps of Recovery Programs, respectively, go to www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/content/recovery-program
AND www.gam-anon/gam-anon-can-help/the-twelve-steps-and-reflections
May you continue to experience the power-greater-than-yourself
through living the 12 Steps of Recovery!
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding
Director
Gambling
Recovery Ministries
https://
www.grmumc.org
For
more information on problem gambling, recovery issues, and the IGCCB Clergy/Lay
Minister Certification visit:
