Higher Power Question

Hi y’all-

I’m working on the workbook “A Woman’s Way through the Twelve Steps” and they suggest asking others in recovery about how their higher power helped them gain sanity. Would anyone be willing to share?

Thanks for all the support I’ve been getting on this forum. 😊

The ability to act and think in a rational manner, first I had to realise (not be told ) that my behaviour was insane the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result .This insanity can be applied throughout my life looking back on my past I've come to realise as well that the faces change but the situations and resulting feelings don't the problems I suffer from are internal and the external circumstances that are presented are opportunities for me to grow and heal my wounded soul .
I was blocked from a power greater than myself because of calamity, pomp and worship of other things the 12 steps have given me access to rise above my mind and thoughts which are often ego driven and live in the present moment. If I had attempted the 12 steps and relied on my sick mind to guide me through I have no doubts I would be drunk or dead hence get a sponsor to guide you .
Everyone experiences the steps differently and the focus is on the experience not someone else's limited verbalising of the process ,the 12 promises have become my new reality . My higher power has relieved me of the insanity of picking up the first drink today ,my defects of character always hidden behind some form of fear , require me to be willing to hand it over and that's going to be a lifetime of handing it over then taking it back if I said otherwise I would be being dishonest.
In my opinion the only way too experience tge full benefits of the 12 steps is following the directions in the big book the steps have no opinion, gender or agenda other than bringing about recovery underneath all the labels and judgements our minds create is a higher power accessible to everyone we just have to uncover discover and discard . Am I insane or sane ,judge not 🤣

Thank you for this! I am still grappling with believing in a higher power, but I am getting there. I think you’re right that it’s going to be a lifetime of handing it over and taking it back though.

My higher power restored (and restored me throughout the day) to sanity, which includes sobriety. My Higher Power is everything that works. I pray to God to keep me sober each morning. I turn to Higher powers like people with good recovery in AAA for advice, I look into my dog's eyes when stressed, I listen to music and that's a higher power to. I practice spiritual principles. Those spiritual principles are a higher power that keeps me sane and sober. I use this form. So that's a power greater than myself that keeps me real. I do hard work and that is a higher power that restores me to sanity. My higher power before I got into recovery was Jack Daniels. It was an evil higher power. Today I feed my soul with good things that keep me sober. Sometimes exercise is a higher power. The wonderful thing about a is that it is a higher power of your own choosing and that there is a group conscience of a higher power which is love and non-judgemental support.

This is so beautifully said! I have begun setting an intention for how I want to act each day (usually it relates to being kind and / or being in the present moment), and this seems to be bringing me closer to my higher power.

Intention idea is awesome! Keep searching for you Higher Power. Close tour eyes, open your hands, and you may see what works in this moment.

I have a more agnostic view of my higher power. I see it as a way of tackling an irrational problem. Since addiction is not a rational problem, rational solutions do not work. I know all the ones I tried did not. And as an agnostic, very scientific method oriented person, I tried a lot before finally admitting defeat.

Giving up control to something else allows me to think and feel more clearly than if I don't. It's almost like it allows me to bypass a rotted section of track in my mental railroad. Left to my own devices, I derail. I'm fascinated by how well it works. And doubly so because I do not count myself among those who are certain a higher power exists. It's incredible to me and I love it.

I also like the comment about finding your higher power in a variety of places. I hadn't thought to articulate it like that, but I do something similar. Some days it's a walk outside, some days it's finding something positive I was able to accomplish in a sea of stress, and many days it's feeling and hearing (she talks, murmurs, and snores) my cat fall asleep on me when I meditate.