Made a Decision

“Once the ‘what’ is decided, the ‘how’ always follows. We must not make the ‘how’ an excuse for not facing and accepting the ‘what.'”
– Pearl S. Buck

Many years ago,  I would hear folks share in a meeting that they “took their will back” usually this was in response to a recent relapse.  They were referring to the third step where, “we decided to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him”.  It always disturbed me a bit to hear people say these things.    I realize that it is simply a play on words but whatever the challenge was that they were referring to, they simply chose to make the decision to do something other than what they now considered the “Will of God”.

The recovered life is about making decisions.  What are decisions?  Well the origin of the word decide comes from the Greek “caedere” which means  “to cut off”.  Similar to the words homicide, which is to cut off another persons life, or suicide to cut off your own life.  So the word decide simply means to cut off any other options.  Therefore, to decide to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, simply means to cut off any other option.  To decide to live the recovered life, is to cut off any other options.  Relapse is not an option!

Sure sounds easy doesn’t it?  Well it is simple but not easy that is for sure.  However, there is part two to the decision making process, “Taking Action”.  We must take action and begin to implement the tools of recovery into our daily lives.  We must create daily disciplines to develop a positive winning attitude towards life, to develop an above average will to win.  The more recovery tools we add to our tool belt the easier it gets.  Which in turn, increases our likelihood for success.  Similarly to deciding to lose weight, if we simply make a decision and do nothing to change our eating patterns or diet, if we fail to exercise at some level have we truly made a decision?

Life is good, actually life is great, if you are reading this you are a winner, you are developing an above average will to win.  Go for it!

Go, Go, Go…

Dan 🙂