Thursday, May 11, 2023

May 11, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

 

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

It’s when we’re given choice that we sit with the gods and design ourselves.

— Dorothy Gilman

Some of us addicts have dangerous ideas about freedom. Like everybody else, we want it. That is not the problem. The problem is that we don’t really understand what freedom is and how it works.

Freedom means we can make choices about our own behavior. It doesn’t mean we can control other people. It doesn’t mean we can escape the consequences of our behavior. It doesn’t mean that we can do whatever we want and things will turn out the way we want.

Our choices and our behaviors have consequences. That’s the part we hated when we were using. When we make a choice, we are using our freedom, and we will get the consequences of that choice, whether we like it or not. Good choices usually result in good consequences. Bad choices usually result in bad consequences.

How can we use our freedom to get the good consequences in life? By working the Steps and listening to the advice of people who have what we want.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, thank you for the freedom I have had all my life. Thank you for the freedom I have now. Help me take your advice on how to use it.

Today’s Action

Today I will think about my choices and their consequences.

Hazelden Foundation

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