Self-Reliance

“Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn't go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse. Perhaps there is a better way - we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity. We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear.” - pg. 68 from The Big Book Of Alcoholics Anonymous

Most of us were used to living a life based on self-reliance prior to receiving alcohol and drug rehab. For us it was a means of survival and self-preservation. Many of us had lost our faith in a higher power and therefor were left to fend for ourselves in every area of our lives even emotionally. Self-reliance was all that most of us knew until we went to places such as a drug addiction detox, AA, or Above It All. Once we got help most of us were able to start building relationships with people and began learning how to rely on and trust others again. Through doing this work many of us were able to form a similar relationship over time with a higher power. When this happened we were able to see what Gods will was versus our will as well as the benefits, and freedom that come from having conscious contact with a power greater than ourselves that we can turn things over to.