We believe Him to be a tireless, selfless, all conquering, miracle-working Friend. We experience true human friendship and from this experience we can imagine what kind of Great Friend God can be. As God becomes your friend, you become a friend to others. What is sometimes called holiness is often only the invitation of God to be our Friend. What is sometimes called religion is often only the experiencing of the help and strength of God’s power in our lives. What is sometimes called by religion as conversion is often only the discovery of God as a friend in need.

These things we accomplish by the help of each other, by following the twelve steps and by the grace of God. All that we hope for is sobriety and regeneration, so that we can live normal, respectable lives and can be recognized by others as men and women willing to do unto others as we would be done by. Only voluntary contributions of our money and ourselves. In Alcoholics Anonymous there is no thought of individual profit. The Twelve Steps have helped to change my life in many ways, but none is more effective than the acquisition of a Higher Power.

Today faith is as natural to me, a former agnostic, as breathing, eating and sleeping. I now believe that God is in these rooms and in my heart. Miracles of recovery are everywhere in evidence. I have seen the workings of the unseen God in A.A. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. … deep down in every man, woman and child, is the fundamental idea of God.

Aa daily reflections july 14