How Has Prayer Helped You In Your Recovery? 12/30-1/6

[snugsnug]

Is prayer a part of your daily program? How often do you Pray? What do you pray for/about? Do your prayers get answered? Who/What do you pray to?

[fibiray]

Myself I pray not on daily but throughout my day when there is disturbances emotionally. Prayer has been critical for me as it removes resentment, and has help me to over come negative thoughts, feelings, reactions and actions.
It is also a great way to alleviate fears, worry and brings about an inner calmness. When i have invested the time into prayer, i don't know what it is but I seem to manage the most busiest of days with relative ease. Always my prayers get answered if I trust my higher power. there was a time there back in 1995 if I recall correctly when I had been diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness and had been given other horrific news health wise. My first reaction was where the bloody hell is god in this. when i first entered aa I had nievely thought that I would be protected from all types of harms since getting sober. I was to learn the hard way about not being immuned to life on life's terms. Needless to say i rebelled and felt cheated and thought that those bloody aa's had lied to me. Angry and fearful i had vowed to never to return to aa, this last a day. I knew without a doubt that there was something in the meetings that had kept me sober. I couldn't understand god's will for me in this but I knew that even though i didn't understand why things had turned out the way they did, I believed that later on all would be revealed and I just needed to hang in there. The next day I found myself back at meetings, even though my attitude stunk and I was wallowing in a big dose of self pity, justifiable anger and numerous other defects of character. Without a doubt I knew that god had kept me sober and I could not have denied that one very obvious thing because I knew that I could not stay sober on my own. I also knew that despite what I was thinking and feeling I still wanted to stay sober. What was once a liability has now become an asset to help others and I managed to stay sober, even if it was dry drunk for a brief time. thanks for letting me share

fi
xxx

[snugsnug]

:D :29: :42: thanks for sharing fi

[mellotripp]

I've never really practiced prayer as much as I should. A friend in the program told me I was going to have to pray for my ex-wife so that I could heal. I told him, "I didn't want to feel like a hypocrite". "Tell God you do and he will understand," he said. "What about the character she left me for?" "Pray for him too", he said. I did so till I was relieved of all the hate, I haven't healed to complete forgiveness, but I no longer despise her with the passion she took off with.

[clean42day]

I don't pray formally so to speak....I kind of find myself talking to God throughout the day....big stuff, little stuff and everything inbetween. it is funny that the love songs that I use to listen to that reminded me of love relationships...have now been replaced with the focus on God as my love relationship if that makes sense. I think I rely on God's power in the moment when things happen spontaneously....and I will find myself saying silently...."god your going to have to help me with this...becuase I don't know what to do? or God please save me from what I am about to say to this person....lol.....:11: or even "god please work through me to give me the right words to help this person. I don't pray too much for myself other than asking that God's divine will and his divine right action be present in my life....I trust whatever that may be. sometimes I am careful not to pray to specifically for others either. I also pray that God restore thier lives to his divine will according to his plan for them. I don't really trust myself in not being able to see the big picture....and sometimes a tragedy in someones life turns out to be thier biggest blessing and here I am praying for their suffering to be removed. so in my limited wisdom...I pray for his wisdom instead.

I do believe that prayer works...I am calmer and more grounded when I remember to start my day with prayer...and yes I do believe that God answers prayers....but I think my clarity in being able to see those answers is what needs fine tunning. Sometimes the answer....comes through someone else...and it doesn't even look like a blessing to me but to them....and then I remember that to even witness someone elses life being blessed is confirmaiton of prayer. and the part that I stuggle with the most is God's timming in answering prayers.....oh yeah...I am going to certainly ask him about that when I get to the other side. as a matter of fact I have a list of questions for him when I get there. lol:11:

it is funny that you brought this up becuase in my sociology class this last semester...in my actual text book was a study on prayer and how effective it is. it was a double blind study where neither parties knew they were being studied. a group of women in China who had been infertile and trying to get pregnant for years were chosen in a particular clinic....and other prayer groups here in the United states were chosen randomly to pray for them. The women also did not know they were being prayed for. They were not told what to pray for .... they were only given the names of the women....the study lasted two years...and there was a 75% success rate in becoming pregnant within the first year. the woman who were not prayed for had no changes. thier treatment was the same, the only interveining factor was prayer.

I thought that was pretty impressive.

I also think that the power of belief has alot to do with it too. For many years I believed that I had the power to choose my own destiny...and at that time did not have any concept of a god in my life....lest of all a loving god that I could have a relationship with. My power of belief was in myself...and had no spiritual aspect what-so-ever. in my infinite wisdon...well you can obviously see where that got me. But once I did finnally surrender to this program and the concept that God could not only guide me that he actually love me too....well I still do believe that god needs a little bit of my power to work through me. But I can honestly say...that my life is no longer my own driven exclusively by myself. and look how glorious this new partnership has turned out.

When i aligned my beliefs with a God of my understanding...I saw his pressensce everywhere in my life. I pray everyday to keep that conscious contact....becuase the spiritual conectedness that I feel today is priceless and better than any drug I have ever done. peace of mind is the best drug on earth and I have found that through prayer.

it is hard to say exactly what i believe in and articulate that to others. it is kind of an eclictic approach to God.... I certainly do believe in Christ, God the the holy ghost...but I also believe that there is a universal intelligence mixed into it all.... I believe that mother earth has a soul and is an entity that lives, breathes, and suffers and sustains us too. So I find myself trying not to fit god into a box with a label so to speak...I believe he is bigger than a particular religion, or a certain set of doctrines, and even bigger than just manifesting himself here on what we call earth. When I mean universe...I really mean all of it....even the parts we have not discovered yet. it is almost as if...I feel arogant in tyring to define God according to scripture, holy books from around the world...or even to say that Jesus was and one and only true prophet and son of God. I belive that God manifested himself on different continenets to different cultures....and I don't have to question why they are different...I believe even in their differences their is a divine plan that I cannot see.

God is just too complicated for my little mind...but he is just as real to me as the breath that I take...and the most important thing is...I don't have to look far to find him....he is inside me, is what gives my soul life, and is the little voice in the still moments that assures me that I am right where I am suppose to be for this level of my development in my spiritual journey. and the only way I can stay connected to my source is through prayer.

my life today is so much richer because of prayer...and I feel just simply reverent on most days for a spiriual pressence in my life. prayer has certainly added a new dimention to living for me....Now If I could just learn to meditate and listen more maybe I could hear gods prayers for me....then this prayer thing would be a two way street.

thanks for the topic

light and love

Gail

[clean42day]

oh sorry I forgot to add the most important thing....it was through prayer that God removed the obsession to use drugs up and out of my life....for 25 years nothing else worked. For six month in treatment I diligently said the simple prayer of "God please remove this obsession from my life and heal me with your love". exactly 6 months to the day....I remember waking up and feeling a freedom that I had never known....a lightness in my soul...like a burnden had been lifted and someone flipped on the lights inside of me - call it a spiritual awakening if you want to but that was my experience. I have not had the obsession to use since then. (ever). the cravings were gone...the obsession was lifted from me and I also think that I had enough beliefe in prayer to finally let it go too. God cannot take something from us unless we really truly are willing to give it up. and Prayer cannot put something into our lives unless our hands, heart and souls are completly open to recieving it.

ok I am done now

light and love

Gail

[snugsnug]

:D :29: :42: Thanks for sharing Gail, wow:42: :29: :D

[snugsnug]

Today in my life, prayer is what I do, I know that having a conscience contact with Jesus is what keeps me clean, and alive.

I pray constantly, always thanking Him for all He does.

It was Him that gave me my life back, my family back and all that I do and have is His, and giving it to Him I am able to be a steward of it, to use it as mine.

He is the One that gave me Life, a great life, a full life, a life that I can share with those that need help. He has blessed me with Agape Love for my fellow man, an unconditional love to share with anyone who asks.

He and He alone provides for me and my family.

Prayer gives me the direct connection to Him, to ask, and to listen.

[Prescott]

Good Morning, Great topic and great shares !! I see a part of my belief's in each.
Without a doubt I knew that god had kept me sober and I could not have denied that one very obvious thing because I knew that I could not stay sober on my own. I also knew that despite what I was thinking and feeling I still wanted to stay sober. What was once a liability has now become an asset to help others and I managed to stay sober, even if it was dry drunk for a brief time.
As Fi has said so well, I know this alcoholic/addict can't do it on his own.

And as Gail say's so well that there have been many teachers ...but "ONE" God. Jesus being my savior and teacher and my brother I speak(pray) to him as I would my brother. But I also believe those of faith in "GOD" the one of there choosing are praying to the same "GOD" just view him differently. I also believe that "GOD" show's himself/herself though humans like in the rooms of AA & NA on the site and my in life on a daily basis.
When I was working the 9th step on clearing up my wreckage I had to surrender myself back to jail twice. Both times I was guilty of the charges against me and faced a minimum of 5 yrs. I wound up doing 2 weeks and half the charges were dropped. I felt "GOD'S" hand in this and in many of the thing's recovery has lead me to do and become. I am truly a changed man and I know this didn't just happen !!!!
I pray pretty simple the 3rd step prayer, the 7th step prayer, serintiy prayer.
But mostly Good Morning I Love you and thank you !!!
I also feel "Faith without work's is dead" and "Love & service" are the key's to my spiritual health and on going recovery!!
Thanx for letting me share...Love John

[Doraine]

I prayed for the obsession to drink be removed and it was! I pray every morning and each night. I take an inventory at night and say the 11th step prayer in the morning. I thank God at night for keeping me sober.

[clean42day]

thought this was interesting:

http://www.beliefnet.com/av/preachersandteachers.aspx?v=609&p=294&WT.mc_id=NL54

you must wait through a brief commercial...but then the video starts...

[admin]

Is prayer a part of your daily program? Yes

How often do you Pray? All throughout the day. I talk to God all day. He is my friend.

What do you pray for/about? Any and everything

Do your prayers get answered? My prayers always get answered. Maybe not always like I want or when I want.

Who/What do you pray to? Jesus

[Milkman]

My prayers are done at night, after I reflect on my day. I pray with gratitude, for all that I'm blessed with today. I pray that I'll wake up and be a better person tomorrow, than I was today. I pray for my family, and those that are finding life hard in recovery. I pray for wisdom and knowledge for myself, so that I'll be better equipped to help others.

Milkman

[mellotripp]

The program tells me to pray for myself only if it will help me be of better service to others. So today I pray for others, that they give me what I need.
nuff' said

[janbear]

When i came into the program i was told to pray at morning and night. Say please in the morning and thank you at night. I prayed to my Higher Power, Jesus Christ. As i grow in recovery working the 12 steps, they have grown beyond specific times. A prayerful attitude about everything throughout each and every day is what i diligently seek, but the times that i dont, i suffer. Progressing along here. Thanks for letting me share.

[alex e.]

Prayer has been real instrumentl in my life and recovery lately. At times have felt as though it hasn't been working. But I continue to pray. Then little things have started happening, small blessings that I am able to recognize and see!