The Daily Reprieve
Today I am willing to let joy have its way and practice Love: Faith-Hope-Trust, an Attitude of Gratitude and Humility
- The moment I wake up I start praying to harness my thoughts and push back self ambition and vain conceit [the drift towards insanity], and continue this throughout the day:
- I read Psalms 1, 23, 46, 103, 119:105
- I read the bible “Verse of the day” and select “Read Full Chapter”
- I have this bookmarked: https://www.aahappyhour.com/aa-daily-readings/ and study all of the readings.
- I read the days reading: https://utmost.org/updated/today for some wisdom
- I read and meditate on this: https://geoffgaites.com/putting-on-phroneo/
- I meditate on what I am grateful for and compose a list and share it with my community of faithful partners.
- I work to monitor my attitude to maintain gratitude and humility and ask God for help to remain in that posture, I discuss my challenges with loved ones prayerfully and use breathing, writing, and grounding/meditation tools as often as possible.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 ESV
”The best and fastest way to find God is to hold still… Every soul before it’s born is kissed by God and spends the rest of life looking for the lover.” — Bill Dogterom
I am responsible for my attitude, my thoughts, my posture, my disposition (phroneó).
“Pretending to be a nice person is a lot like being a nice person” — Bill Dogterom
I strive to practice love and kindness – courtesy, even when I don’t feel like it, regardless of who deserves it, with others best interests in mind and try to remember – it’s not about me.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” —Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
When my emotions start to flare up, for any reason, I will practice getting grounded, honest, own my part, fight ego with truth about who I am, and forgive myself and others.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” — Philippians 2:3-5
“Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought [prayer] of others and how we may help meet their needs.” — Big Book, Top of page 20
Practice Attitude and Mindset First Thing
“There are two types of people in recovery: the “yeah, buts” and the “you bets!”” —Tony Fisher
”Would you rather be right, or would you rather be happy?” —Jim Foote
“Everyone’s access to the truth is mediated by fear. Some people’s fear was just severe enough to functionally lock the door. Being constitutionally incapable of honesty is true. It just isn’t permanent.” – GG
The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord”;… The Highest Good—The Pilgrim’s Song Book, 537 L
Seeing is never believing: we interpret what we see in the light of what we believe. Faith is confidence in God before you see God emerging; therefore the nature of faith is that it must be tried. He Shall Glorify Me, 494 R
Taking Control of Your Thoughts
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 ESV