Alcoholism, Agnosticism, and the Question of Faith

“Arrived at this point, we were squarely confronted with the question of faith.  We couldn’t duck the issue; some of us had already walked far over the bridge of reason toward the desired shore of faith.  The outlines and the promise of the new land had brought luster to tired eyes and fresh courage to flagging spirits.  Friendly hands had stretched out in welcome.  We were grateful that reason had brought us so far but somehow we couldn’t quite step ashore. Perhaps we had been leaning too heavily on reason that last mile and we did not like to lose our support.  That was natural but let us thinks a little more closely.  Without knowing it, had we not been brought to where we stood by a certain kind of faith?” –pg 53 We Agnostics from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

There are times in sobriety that require a great deal of courage and faith.  For example when we first seek alcohol addiction help and make the decision to get sober or other life changes such as going to a drug rehab in California, getting a new job, moving or starting a family.  Whatever it is, change usually requires a great amount of courage and faith.  Faith that everything will be okay and that there is something better for us on the other side if we just walk through the fear.  Through AA and measures we take after drug addiction detox, we learn how to practice faith and courage. We learn that through the use of the steps and a higher power we can walk through almost any situation with grace and dignity if we choose.  We also learn to live life on life’s terms knowing that everything is exactly how it should be in that moment.  Once we have the experience with a situation we never have to be fearful of it or the unknown again.  For issues relating to our sobriety this is a great way to build up a defense against the first drink, kind of like insurance.  For example, we build experience with staying sober one day at a time.  We now know how to stay sober and it is no longer a scary foreign concept for us anymore but rather a part of our everyday life.