A Personal Reflection
Prayer and meditation in recovery are critical to my daily life now. Many people think that prayer is talking to God and that meditation is God speaking to us. I have always been a very prayerful individual, even in my disease. I never shied away from offering prayers. Although I have never heard the actual voice of God in meditation, I do get a sense of confirmation and direction when I take the time to sit in meditation quietly.
For me, meditation happens all throughout the day.
At any given moment when life presents itself, I will talk to God just like I talk to anyone else: a conversation with a family member or a friend. It is in the quiet time afterward that the still small voice inside of me can and will guide me. That is one form of meditation for me. Other times, I offer up a prayer about something and leave it with God. Some of life’s unfoldings are not to be moved on too swiftly. Sometimes being still is the best action for me. Doing nothing is a new and dynamic part of life.
Invariably, a circumstance, a conversation or even just a moment of pondering will bring me the answer. Sometimes, confirmation comes completely unrelated to the event I am dealing with. That, for me, is part of the meditative process.
I now can walk through life having practiced these things daily but can still be shaken when life throws a curve. It is going to happen: that is just life. I can rest in the peace that if I seek, I will find. This allows me just to be more relaxed in general.
One of the first things I was told in recovery was to say this very simple prayer every morning,
“God, thank you for keeping me sober yesterday. Please keep me sober today. Please remove my desire and compulsion to drink and do drugs. Help me know your will for my life and give me the power to carry that out.”
I can honestly say that has been part of my daily ritual for almost three years. Starting my day that way opens up a channel for continued communication throughout the day.
As I invite God into my day, I am submitting to the need for His guidance throughout that day. There are countless times throughout recovery that whatever answer I need, even though sometimes it is not the solution I want, is always presented to me through meditation.
Whatever means of meditation one chooses, the overall spiritual principle is that someone greater than me is not only in charge, but is there whenever I open up that channel. Find what works for you and go for it. You might just be amazed at what you will find.
