Owning Our Power

Divine Intervention or Will Power?

The first step does not say we are powerless, it says we are powerless over are addiction. What this means that "without help" we are powerless. "Alone" we are powerless. Once we incorporate God and others into our lives our powerlessness is transformed into ego strength. The first step is preparing us to align ourselves with God and other so together we can heal.

In other words, we lack power and then we are given power and then we are not powerless.

There is a great uproar between the psychiatric community and 12-Step programs over the issue of "powerlessness." We all wonder once we get better whether it was because of will power or divine intervention. I don't know. Some switch is thrown and suddenly we are ready to change. We have the willingness which is a precursor to change. For me, it happened instantly at a AA meeting so I went along with the party line that it was a gift from God. But nobody knows. I just know it happened so suddenly that it did seem like a miracle. Somebody or something flipped a switch and I had the "power" to get better. That is all I know.

Once the willingness is there we must push forward using our own power. If the switch was thrown in therapy we must continue therapy and own our power to change. If the switch was thrown in a 12-Step program then utilize this to own your own power which was thrown under a bus by your addiction.

Great thread. I look forward to responses.