The Barflies Message Board

Welcome to the Barflies Group Message Board. We encourage all alcoholics to share their experience, strength and hope in a way that is conducive to AA’s primary purpose, which is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.

PLEASE NOTICE: the Barflies Group maintains the right to block disruptive users and delete posts/replies that do not support our primary purpose as stated above or that we deem harmful to alcoholics. We truly want this board to be yet one more way for alcoholics to help one another, and we want it to be a safe place to go, should the need arise. With that said, we will do all we possibly can to maintain the integrity of the board.

[ Signup for the Board | Edit Your Account | Homegroup Member Login | Recover Passwords ]

23 members are currently monitoring the board. | Your IP address: 38.107.191.118

God's Will - posted by Tmi at 04/24 10:43PM All and all things are far better than they were a year ago. With that being said, I'm still confused as hell with what I'm supposed to do other than staying sober. Only in the past few months have I realized how fucked up my finances are. I know God has a plan for me and if I'm patient things will work out for the best. It always has in the past, but I still don't know how to make good decisions in the short term. How can you distinguish between self-centered decisions and faith based decisions? I keep asking myself was I right or wrong!

re: God - posted by privateparty on 04/25 03:06AM page 127 B.b.

re: God's Will - posted by PM on 04/26 10:11PM "We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves." BB; pg 84 Sometimes I think the very question and my attempt to pursue it is half of the magic in my sobriety. What is His will. I don't know but it is a wonderful journey trying to find out. Sometimes the choice is more clear than others, sometimes rather simple indeed; but other times there seems a lot of gray area. I could cite any number of times when I simply put in my request and waited to see what happened. Either way so long as I knew I hadn't pushed it the result must have come from Him. I've always liked the little nugget my sponsor gave me so so long ago - 'If you put other's needs ahead of yours then yours will be taken care of.' When I apply this spiritual mode of action to my circumstances I tend to feel pretty confident I've done what He would have me do. It can be tricky at times too. But when it comes to money I suspect we can do exactly the same thing and be either entirely spiritual or completely selfish. I can buy a house, for instance, and either offer it up to my fellows for comfort and respite or I can point at it, bask in its glow, and ask my fellows to perceive it as proof of my great wonderfulness. Ultimately the answer lies in your own heart. Money does meet with spirituality... in the basket, in being responsible, in repaying my fellows from whom I've taken... and more. But even here I can side step His will and do things like repair my credit and otherwise 'take charge' of my life... so funny when I try that! I've come to believe over the years that every thing I do - everything - can be done either to directly care for my fellows or to prepare me for such and so long as that is the driving motive of my actions they almost can't be wrong, even if I get to enjoy a house along the way. Is it His will? What does your heart really say.

re: God - posted by Jules on 04/27 06:26AM I'm glad this post was waiting on the computer this morning! I'm struggling so bad with the whole God's will thing right now. Like PM was mentioning about pushing the result. I still haven't figured out how to not push gracefully. I might let it go and give it to the HP, but my version is throwing the decision on the floor and storming off and crying. I want to be ok with what God has in store. What would be terrific would be if He would come down here and tell me so that I can just get out of the way. I don't know if that will happen today, but one can hope. I've always taken solace in the phrase, "as long as you put others' needs ahead of your own, you'll be taken care of." I have experienced my needs being taken care of time and time again. Most of the time, I didn't realize it at the time. I have a hard time remembering that I'm here to love and serve. I know it, but lose sight of what that entails. Does that involve every aspect of my life? I think so, or at least I'm saying it should. My fears mostly center around school/career. Will I get the job one day? Can I handle the schooling for the job one day without pissing away the family along the way? Why am I doing this? Am I hiding bad motives under good ones? These are the gray areas I've been experiencing. I have been praying a lot about a decision I might have to make involving school and I even told the HP last week, "I can't make this decision, will you make it for me?" Then, the decision was really seeming to be made for me on Thursday! I was kind of pissed at the circumstances but oh so relieved. Then yesterday, the option came back that I didn't want, but really wanted. Now I am back to possibly having to make the decision myself. I know, it's confusing, but I'm trying to pray to stay in today, praying to not make this decision based on fear, and most importantly, remembering that I don't even have to make it in the next month. So, with that in mind, I can hopefully stay in the next 24 hours ahead. These fears are exhausting. I long for the simplicity of it all. I don't know where it started getting all cloudy, but the shit is there and I'm uncomfortable. This one "decision" has sparked so many fears it's ridiculous! I can't even keep track of them and when I can talk to someone about them, I feel so pathetic and silly. The bottom like is back to what PM reminded of, "if you put others' needs ahead of your own, you'll be taken care of." This seems to simplify the mess. I can take these fears to the HP and try to put my reliance on Him. These are my hopes for the day, just today. Someone told me recently to "empty your cart and let Him fill it." I've thought of that everyday since. Thank you.

re: God - posted by privateparty on 04/27 06:45AM To fit ourselves to be of maximun service to God and the people about us surly does mean alot os stuff thats not selfish or self centered.But its Not one of those hey look at me fronts. woo hoo look at me .however I am Glad to see Drunks Get respocible and GROW UP.I am so Greatful to the people who actually helped me and did not sit and say look at him and his defects.Some only talk the talk but silently and anonymously i am a witnes to some truly great people.

re: God - posted by privateparty on 04/27 06:51AM I wish this Board Had a option to rewrite stuff I posted. I would be glad to correct stuff and repost.

re: God - posted by tmi on 04/27 11:01AM Thanks for your replies. I can really relate to feeling silly and pathetic! At this point I can't say my motives are completely unselfish because I look forward to the day my desperate financial restitutions end. Funny thing is that yesterday God opened the door for me finding a new place to live. It's a quieter location for the same rent! It's a bitch being patient, but I guess it's the journey and not the destination.

re: God - posted by wasteland on 04/27 01:19PM What is God's will for me? I just don't know. I know I feel better when I really try to be of service to others. God grants me sobriety when I try to help others stay sober. I don't think this is by accident. I'm in a different city, in a strange place in the middle of what I have already discovered to be a pissing contest of new employees with the company I work for. I feel lucky to not have to engage in such bullshit right now. Who knows if this will all change later but I asked God to show me his will and for help and for the moment I feel at ease. "Thy will not mine be done."

POST REPLY: Please submit your experience, strength and/or hope as it relates to the program of AA below.

[ Signup for the Board | Edit Your Account | Homegroup Member Login | Recover Passwords ]

While we hope that all our guests share their experience as it relates to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, we remind everyone that the contents of these message strings are strictly personal opinions of the authors. When in doubt about the nature of statements made please consult the Big Book and other AA reference materials... our motto: "If its not in the book, it doesn't count." Thank you all for sharing.