Narcotics Anonymous

Just For Today - Daily Email Service

   September 25                        The Fourth Step-fearing our feelings

      "We may fear that being in touch with our feelings will trigger an
               overwhelming chain reaction of pain and panic."

                                                            Basic Text, p. 29

                           ----=----

   A common complaint about the Fourth Step is that it makes us painfully
   conscious of our defects of character.  We may be tempted to falter in our
   program of recovery.   Through surrender and acceptance, we can find the
   resources we need to keep working the steps.

   It's not the  awareness of  our defects that  causes the  most
   agony-it's the defects themselves.   When we were using, all we felt
   was the drugs; we could ignore the suffering our defects were causing us.
   Now that the drugs are gone, we feel that pain.  Refusing to acknowledge
   the source of our anguish doesn't make it go away; denial protects the
   pain and makes it stronger.  The Twelve Steps help us deal with the misery
   caused by our defects by dealing directly with the defects themselves.

   If we hurt from the pain of our defects, we can remind ourselves of the
   nightmare of addiction, a nightmare from which we've now awakened.   We
   can recall the hope for release the Second Step gave us.   We can again
   turn our will and our lives over, through the Third Step, to the care of
   the God of our understanding.  Our Higher Power cares for us by giving us
   the help we need to work the rest of the Twelve Steps.  We don't have to
   fear our feelings.  Just for today, we can continue in our recovery.

                           ----=----

   Just for today:  I won't be afraid of my feelings.  With the help of my
   Higher Power, I'll continue in my recovery.