Narcotics Anonymous

Just For Today - Daily Email Service

   March 5                         From rude awakening to spiritual awakening

   "When a need arises for us to admit our powerlessness, we may first look
   for ways to exert power against it.  After exhausting these ways, we begin
                     sharing with others and find hope."

                                                            Basic Text, p. 82

                           ----=----

   We've sometimes heard it said in our meetings that "rude awakenings
   lead to spiritual awakenings." What kind of rude awakenings do we have
   in recovery?  Such an awakening might occur when some undesirable bit of
   our behavior that we thought safely hidden away is suddenly revealed for
   all the world to see.  Or our sponsor might provoke such an awakening by
   informing us that, just like everyone else, we have to work the steps if
   we expect to stay clean and recover.

   Most of us hate to have our covers pulled; we don't like being laid
   naked in full view.  The experience delivers a strong dose of humility.
   Our first reaction to such a disclosure is usually shock and anger, yet we
   recognize the truth when we hear it.   What we are having is a rude
   awakening.

   Such awakenings often disclose barriers that block us from making
   spiritual progress in our recovery.   Once those barriers are exposed, we
   can work the steps to begin removing them from our lives.  We can begin
   experiencing the healing and serenity which are the preludes to a renewed
   awakening of the spirit.

                           ----=----

   Just for today:    I  will recognize the rude awakenings I  have as
   opportunities to grow toward spiritual awakening.