July 10 - Peace Through Humility

Peace doesn't wait for everyone else to change. It shows up the moment we take responsibility for our own part and let the rest go. Peace grows when I take responsibility for my part and release the rest. We open with page 55's reminder that the great reality is found deep down within us — and if that's where God is, then the resentments, fears, and grudges we carry are down there too. Page 64's flaw-searching and page 145's list of alcoholism's greatest enemies — resentment, jealousy, envy, frustration, and fear — give language to what's actually underneath the surface disturbance. A personal story about being adopted, born to alcoholic birth parents, and coming to believe the spiritual malady was there from the start grounds the whole discussion in something real rather than theoretical. Page 84's instruction to watch for what disturbs us and page 77's reminder that this is not a selfish program tie together with a story about a double-booked speaking slot at a treatment center — driving away frustrated, only to get a phone call minutes later from someone in tears after helping an elderly woman for the first time. Page 15's promise that we've been lifted up and set on our feet by simply talking to another person closes that thread. Philippians 4 and Psalm 51:10 — create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me — anchor the spiritual side, and page 28's line about a "flimsy reed" proving to be the loving and powerful hand of God brings it home: peace isn't found in the solution being perfect. It's found in surrendering the problem. As I surrender my defects, even if the situation does not change, something in me does. That is where peace begins. Christian recovery | 12-step faith | sobriety devotional | humility | taking responsibility | letting go | Psalm 51 | addiction recovery | AA and faith | sober living Daily entries at dailyripples.com — [email protected] Daily Ripples connects recovery principles with the life of faith. New episodes every day.