Sunday, May 28, 2023

May 28, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

 

Sunday, May 28, 2023

Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

How unhappy is the person who cannot forgive himself or herself.

— Publilius Syrus

One of the most important things we do in recovery is to forgive ourselves. It is so important that it takes the first nine Steps to teach us to do it fully.

Our path to self-forgiveness is a difficult one. First we have to take a hard look at how we have lived and what we have done. Once we face the facts, we can decide to get well.

Why do we find it so hard to let go of blaming ourselves? Because our ego insists that we are in control and so we are to blame. We need to give up that idea and accept the facts. We have a disease that is stronger than we are.

Now we can face the damage, repair it, and move on with our lives. Now we can learn how to manage our disease — with help from our Higher Power and our program — and live a good and useful life.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, I can’t be free to do your will for me when I am bound up in ego and self-blame. Help me let go, accept my disease, and forgive myself.

Today’s Action

Today I will call my sponsor and talk about the ways I am being responsible for dealing with my disease. Then I can talk about self-forgiveness.

Hazelden Foundation

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