Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
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1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58

It can be frustrating at best trying to carry the message to those who need it.

You may have heard it said that if everyone who needed AA came to it, we’d have to meet in a stadium.

That may be exaggerated but the truth remains: this is for those who want it. We can’t force feed recovery.

It’s tempting, I know. We see signs of willingness and a step in the right direction. We pounce on the opportunity and try to drag the newcomer through the steps.

We know they’ll be better for it.

But we know better too.

Recovery is available for everyone. It’s accessible and open and simple. But it requires more than many are willing to give.

You must be willing to follow direction. You must be willing to do difficult things. You must be willing to take it one day at a time.

The entry was too much for me at first. I had not racked up enough pain to be willing enough to go to any lengths to recover.

I was convinced I was unique and not suited to this brand of spirituality as I saw it.

What I failed to see was what later saved my butt and brought me back to a God I’d misunderstood.

AA is simply a vessel. It’s a set of instructions laid out from a body of experience. And it leads to God.

It’s not the only way there. Obviously. But it speaks the language of the addict and alcoholic which makes it uniquely suited to steer us well.

God, give me the words to carry your message to the next stubborn me.