The word repentance has a definite
religious feel to it. Perhaps I have watched too many old movies, but I can’t
help but see in my mind’s eye a preacher exhorting their congregation to REPENT
or else. So, if we are Living on the
Spiritual Basis what does it mean to repent? First a definition:
Repent:
1. be sorry: to recognize the wrong in something you have done and be sorry about it
2. religion change ways: to feel regret about a sin or past actions and change your ways or habits (Encarta)
To feel sorry about something done or said is easy, but to change our ways or habits is something else entirely. Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on A Power Greater Than Ourselves requires action. A simple acceptance of past mistakes with a mumbled “sorry” won’t fit the bill at all. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires work on our part. One of the traps those new to this path fall into in an attempt to change and become “rigorously honest” is to recount stories of old hurts and mistakes, for no good reason, which only serves to invigorate them, fill them with new life opening the door to morbid reflection. To be clear: We do not shut the door on the past or deny it, but we do not under any pretense engage in morbid reflection. To do so takes us out of the moment and pulls us into remorse and negative self-reflection, placing us back in the bondage of self. Our past is a great tool, often the best, for helping those new to the process to progress but we must learn to use it as a positive lest we drift into self-pity and pointless remorse, shutting ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. On our own we are powerless to effect any real lasting change at our core, by relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves real change is affected, the past put in proper perspective, its power over us removed and it becomes a tool to help others, in turn setting us free.
Repent:
1. be sorry: to recognize the wrong in something you have done and be sorry about it
2. religion change ways: to feel regret about a sin or past actions and change your ways or habits (Encarta)
To feel sorry about something done or said is easy, but to change our ways or habits is something else entirely. Living on the new basis, the basis of trusting and relying on A Power Greater Than Ourselves requires action. A simple acceptance of past mistakes with a mumbled “sorry” won’t fit the bill at all. Living on the Spiritual Basis requires work on our part. One of the traps those new to this path fall into in an attempt to change and become “rigorously honest” is to recount stories of old hurts and mistakes, for no good reason, which only serves to invigorate them, fill them with new life opening the door to morbid reflection. To be clear: We do not shut the door on the past or deny it, but we do not under any pretense engage in morbid reflection. To do so takes us out of the moment and pulls us into remorse and negative self-reflection, placing us back in the bondage of self. Our past is a great tool, often the best, for helping those new to the process to progress but we must learn to use it as a positive lest we drift into self-pity and pointless remorse, shutting ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. On our own we are powerless to effect any real lasting change at our core, by relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves real change is affected, the past put in proper perspective, its power over us removed and it becomes a tool to help others, in turn setting us free.
Miracles Of Recovery
© Vincent Lee Jones All Rights
Reserved
Miracles Of Recovery, Overdose
Death, Alcoholism, Wayne Dyer, Drug Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, Heroin,
Einstein, AA, Healing Path Recovery, Drug Rehab, #Drug Addiction, #Drug Rehab,
#Healing Path Recovery, #Heroin, #Opioids
No comments:
Post a Comment