Alcoholics Annonymous is filled with cliches. As a matter of fact, that is one of the main criticisms of the fellowship leveled by those who are looking for a reason not to participate. In my early years of treating addicts and drunks, I have to admit, I thought the Big Book and AA were a little hokey. Now that I spend the majority of my time with people whose very life depends on the first 164 pages of the Big Book, I see the cliches such as “Let Go and Let God” as hopeful, not hokey.
I have always been willing to do what God wanted me to do….provided that he was following the instructions I gave him 40 years ago. But with the help of my wife and a few choice scriptures, I came to realize that my tenure as “Master of the Universe” had not been very successful. It was time to “turn it over”.
My new deal with God was for me to get out of the way and let Him put me where He needed me. (I can’t tell you how difficult that is for me.) I am amazed every day at how he works. I know that when my phone rigs with a new patient, that it is not a coincidence or luck of the draw. These people are now connected with me because that is what is supposed to happen and many days, my patients help me more than I help them.
So I can highly recommend “Letting Go and Letting God”. It might be a cliche to some but, in practical application, it works. My advice is simple. Get out of the way and don’t be the main barrier in your own life.
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