A Power Greater

Sustaining my recovery from co-dependency requires a power greater than myself. I can not, nor do I want, to work this program alone. Achieving balance, serenity, and sanity requires meditation time to get outside of myself, outside of my circumstances, and break free of my isolated thinking patterns. Recovery is about learning to see myself, my relationships, my circumstances, and my emotions objectively and then learning how to best take care of myself within the context of that reality.

In recovery, the "Higher Power" concept of Step Two can be any or all of the following:

• God, as you understand God (Yahweh, Judeo-Christian, Allah, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, etc.)
• Meeting synergy / group consciousness (a CoDA meeting, AA, Alanon, etc.)
• Spirituality, as you understand spirituality
• Trusted mentor relationship (sponsor, therapist, etc.)

Everyone has to start somewhere in recovery. There are no set rules. You may start with one concept of a Higher Power (say, a therapist) and then move to another (spirituality). Or you may, over time, combine all of them as your Higher Power.

True recovery is not about imposing upon you any definition of a Higher Power except as you define this concept at the moment. Each of us comes to recovery from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, etc. Recovery is the place to be open-minded—especially about this concept. The Higher Power concept of recovery is not about religion, church, evangelism, legalism, good versus evil or salvation in the afterlife. There are other organizations better suited for these pursuits.

Without a solid, working relationship with a power greater than yourself, your progress in recovery and in the Twelve Step process will be slow. You will need time to nurture, meditate upon, and fully experience this unique relationship. Most importantly, it is this relationship that can become the model and training ground for all your other relationships.

Finally, remember that recovery is not a perfect process. There is no cookbook, per se, that contains the formula for success. The joy and serendipity of recovery is that you and your Higher Power become co-partners, co-explorers, charting the course to your personal growth and destiny. Recovery grants you the opportunity to carry a Higher Power within your heart, to guide you, strengthen you, encourage you, sustain you, and love you.

Dear God, Thank you for your ever-abiding presence in my life. Thank you for being with me as I explore what it means to be human, as I attempt to understand the joys and pains of this life, and as I struggle to grow and love and learn the lessons of life. Thank you for being the source of peace, balance, hope, and objectivity in my life. Amen.

next: Admitting Powerlessness