PRAYER

Sept 20, from “Strengthening My Recovery” daily reader

Keep it simple, but create a prayer that is specific to you and your relationship with the Devine, Higher Power, or God.”  BRB p. 278

“Due to the trauma of childhood, we have had many unanswered questions. “Who can I trust? How should I live my life? Will anyone or anything ever help me?” It has been almost impossible for many of us to rely on something outside of ourselves to help us find our truth, until we get to ACA.

Working the Steps helps us reconnect with a Higher Power of our own choosing. And prayers, or affirmations, can help us focus. There are many meaningful prayers in ACA; the Serenity Prayer that starts and ends most of our meetings and prayers at the end of many of the Steps in the BRB.

Creating a personal prayer can also be a way to confirm that we are part of the Power that helps guide us and gives us the strength we need. Our voices are finally heard when we speak our own truth. Our personal prayer can be as simple as “Higher Power, please guide me today. If I get scared, help me know I am not alone.”

We can ask for the strength to work the 12 Steps, for understanding of what it means to be our own loving parent, and for help to learn how to heal our Inner Child. We remind ourselves we are not alone when we reach out to someone or something beyond ourselves.

On this day I know I am not alone, that my Higher Power is ready to help when I am ready to ask.”

My experience:

I am so thankful for the words “Higher Power of our own choosing.”  When I finally recognized the “own choosing” part, I recognized that my Higher Power did not need to be the punishing Higher Power that I grew to believe as a child.  I chose my HP to be benevolent and understanding.  A guiding light that is there to show me the way and walk with me so that I am never alone.  It took a while, but this is what I truly feel in my heart right now.  So when I pray, it is sometimes as simple as “please guide me today.”  Sometimes it is the eleventh step prayer, or a plethora of other prayers that come to mind at the time.  But it really is about communicating with my HP to ask for guidance, help, forgiveness, and to let him know I am thankful for him being by my side.  What a difference prayer makes.

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