And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Mark 6:6

We walk into recovery with a set of beliefs whether we like it or not.

Some are obstinate and butt up against religion as though it were a plague. Others shirk commitment to any ideology with a firm resolution to accept any and everything.

And there are those who profess a belief that seems incapable of delivering them from the tentacles of despair. For them, it is a double-edged sword. They’ve had the benefits of faith, perhaps, but something has failed along the way.

An unlearning must often occur.

How can I disassemble the broken pieces of my faith so that the new bedrock, the firm foundation may better take root?

How may I navigate this path while not alienating the very thing I’m seeking?

Don’t worry too much.

Forward progress is a beautiful thing. In the long view of things, our present doubts, misgivings and reevaluations are necessary hurdles by which we can leap into a new way of living.

And though it is leap, it’s taken one step at a time, one day at a time, one question at a time.

The danger is when I relieve myself of the responsibility to believe anything. Or a better way to put it: when I don’t acknowledge that I am choosing the wrong type of belief.

For this and any of the myriad circumstances of faith that we bring to recovery, an attitude of willingness is truly enough to begin to make progress.

We aren’t going to eat the elephant all at once, but we aren’t going to ignore it either.

God, direct my beliefs.