In many meetings of AA, there is a scheduled reading (frequently toward the beginning of the meeting) of what are known as “The Promises.” To be more accurate, they are the 9th Step Promises, and many long-time attendees can recite them by heart. In short, they are a brief list of the many things a person can expect if they stay sober and work the program to achieve what is called a “spiritual awakening” or a renewed relationship with their Creator and His other children.
Amazingly, if a person hangs around long enough, these mini-miracles almost always come true. At first, they may seem like lies or fantasies, but walking the walk usually pays off with many exciting and unexpected adventures. The Promises are discussed in this book not because they are a prayer, but because they are almost universally experienced and a gift from God. They are also promised in the Bible, and we walk people through them one by one.
Here’s a sample:
1. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1
Very few people arrive at AA feeling happy, joyous, and free. The disease of addiction is one of trading bits and pieces of our free will for temporary relief from pain and fear. Each time one uses, a little free will is given up, triggering the establishment of new neurological pathways that become increasingly ingrained until they can no longer be denied. When we finally reach a place where we must do what we no longer even want to do—the party is officially over. There is no better word for this compulsive behavior than slavery. Stating that one has become a slave to their drug of choice will get a lot of heads nodding in agreement across the room. Paul describes this perfectly in Romans 7:15–20. Knock the dust off that Bible on your bookshelf and read it.
The Bible verse above is talking about a different type of slavery than the kind that comes to mind when we think of America’s darkest chapter. The Israelites had been trying their best to follow a series of laws designed to make them holy in God’s eyes. They tried so hard and applied so much social pressure on one another to be “good” that they were living lives without freedom. Their slavery was self-imposed.
Jesus spent at least half of His ministry telling people that the law doesn’t make a person holy—God’s love and freely given grace do. It cannot be earned by following a bunch of rules, and there is nothing a human can do to make God love them any more (or less, for that matter).
(From Chapter 9 – The 9th Step Promises)
Understanding that the gifts experienced in recovery are all promised in God’s Word is an “Ah-ha!” moment for many. Even those of us who know God is good and all-powerful often feel unworthy of unconditional love. Thankfully, we are very wrong, and He has made us worthy through the sacrifice of His Son.
We hope the new book, Dissecting the Prayers and Promises of AA, will be a blessing to all who read it, whether they are seeking addiction recovery or not. Please buy several copies for yourself and a few friends today—you won’t regret it!
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