April 9, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

 

Sunday, April 9, 2023

Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

Act as If …

In the arena of human life the honours and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action.

— Aristotle

The only way to get what we need is to “Act as if” we have it. The key word for us is act.

We have discovered that knowledge often follows action rather than vice versa. When we fake it in our early days, we find ourselves making it in later days.

In the beginning, we are asked to “Act as if” we are following instructions, trusting the program, listening to sponsors, and coming to believe. The amazing thing is that soon we were doing those very things.

We were never able to think our way into recovery. Our minds created a tremendous amount of trouble for us. We needed to turn our minds down (not off). We soon discovered the difference between doing and thinking.

The key to “Acting as if” is faith. With faith, the promises will come true for me. The way to faith is through my fears. I turn fears over to my faith and simply “Act as if.”

Hazelden Foundation