Post
119
FREEDOM
WITH THE SERENITY PRAYER
God,
grant
me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage
to change the things I can,
and
wisdom to know the difference.
Over the past few months, I have heard a number of
people referring to the “Serenity Prayer” as their guiding strength in
recovery. Indeed, these words of Reinhold
Niebuhr hold forth a very practical formula
for attaining – and maintaining – healing and wholeness from an addictive lifestyle. This week during our national July 4th
holiday, there has been much talk about freedom – from captivity,
dictatorships, violence, and poverty.
The more I heard, the more I broadened such circumstances to the
condition of addiction. Certainly,
within each situation of addiction (no matter the form), individuals are held
in a state of control – and dictated by
- his/her dependence on the drug, substance, and/or activity (process
addictions) … though personal denial often masks this.
Moreover, the violence (yes, violence) of addiction
to the body, mind, and spirit can rob the person of freedom to live a life of
self-control, peace, and inner strength. Relationships suffer too: loved ones and
associates experience captivity, as well, wrought by the response to addiction
by their family member or friend.
Looking
over the prayer’s words, I begin to see an independence
from pattern for recovery. For this edition of
the GRM Blog, I offer mindsets commonly
held within addiction that when transformed
by recovery, freedom is gained (shown
by italics)!
GOD,
GRANT ME
Independence
from … believing that the God of the universe may be there
but I don’t feel this presence in my life.
God’s
universal awareness does include me and my life; I can enter into communication
with God; God wants to restore persons - so I can ask for divine help.
THE
SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
Independence
from … God will never forgive; other relationships are
broken; there are too many wrongs to forgive me; debts have piled up impossibly
high.
God
does forgive; God cares; God will help in multiple ways by giving direction,
strength, and peace to acknowledge the past … and understandings of how the
role of addiction and other factors have impacted me.
COURAGE
TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
Independence
from … change? This
is not the right time to go through withdrawal – I have too much stress now in
my life; I tried quitting before - I’m too scared!
Divine
help not only includes courage but also resources, persons, and miraculous
strength to accomplish my healing in recovery – and a new lifestyle of
wholeness, love, and inner peace.
AND
WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
Independence
from … what would my life be like without fill-in-the-blank:
it’s the only way I can relax / enjoy myself / escape and not feel anything.
God
will, also, grant divine insights and wisdom in order to discern what is
healthily accomplishable and what is not so that I can be at peace with recognizing
and accepting the difference. This
gained wisdom will help me in the future to make wise decisions and let go of
regrets.
May
you experience a true Independence Day
of Recovery!
Blessings!
Rev. Janet Jacobs, CCGSO
Founding
Director
Gambling
Recovery Ministries
htpps://
www.grmumc.org
For
more information on problem gambling and recovery issues, visit:
