When some of us hear the word God, we immediately experience a split second of judgment. We either determine that the word is good or bad. For some of us it has to do with how we were raised. We may have been raised in a very religious household. This instilled some sort of fear or bad connotation when mentioning God.
For others we went the other extreme. Nobody had told us what to believe and we were left searching and wondering a lot of the time. Sometimes we felt as if God abandoned us because the things we asked for wouldn’t come true. Sometimes we felt we didn’t deserve other things that occurred. There are also those who are in the middle and those who don’t believe in God at all.
Customization
The 12 step program of recovery says that it is vital we form some sort of relationship with something greater than ourselves. Oftentimes referred to as “higher power”. This term provides those of us who have a disdain for religious affiliations a sort of relief. It allows us to really picture something that is higher than us. What that means is that we just have to become willing to believe in something greater than ourselves.
We are obviously aware that we are not the end all be all. It is a little easier to accept that something outside of us exists in some capacity or at some level. The great thing about the recovery program is they offer a solution to any prejudices or uncomfortable flinches to the word God. You can create your own idea of what a higher power is or looks like. It is whatever you determine it to be.
Examples can include:
- Nature
- A meeting
- Any 12 step recovery group
- The ocean
- Any religious idol
- Some image you have made up
These examples illustrate that it doesn’t need to be the same as the next person. It can include any religious figures or idols if you want, however, it doesn’t have to.
Because of the openness of the 12 step program of recovery, when it comes to these spiritual matters, individuals are more likely to accept these belief systems and start believing in a higher power. Once you are willing, you can commence to grow and strengthen your conception of a higher power.
At Avalon Malibu it is understood that individuals from all kinds of backgrounds can suffer from substance use disorders. This disorder does not discriminate. These professionals are trained to help people with any spiritual background that may be very important to them. They are delicate and deliberate with helping you become a better version of yourself and seek something greater. Call today at (844)-857-5992
