What does it mean to abandon ourselves to God? On page 164 of the book Alcoholics Anonymous we find this explanation.
“Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.”
In the military, if there was a real “go getter” we would often refer to them as a person who was “leaning forward in the foxhole.” This meant that the person was anticipating what was in front of them. This person would come up with plans or ideas on how to greet and meet a presenting challenge.
This is also true of the people who have abandoned themselves to God. They plan plans, but they don’t plan results. They are responsible for the footwork, but they leave the outcomes to the Higher Power.
Sometimes our fear of rejection, hurt or disappointment prevent us from leaning forward. Sometimes our timidity will hold us back. We don’t have reckless abandon and faith in our Higher Power. Instead, we are paralyzed with worry and indecision.
Theodore Roosevelt the great naturalist, author and former President of the United States opined on the subject. He encouraged his readers to give their utmost. To be involved. To throw caution to the wind for even in our failures there can come great wisdom and understanding. President Roosevelt said, “…If he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."
In our recovery, we must throw out our reservations and half measures. We must be fully committed to the process. Only then can the twelve steps have their true transformative power manifested in our lives. As it states in How It Works, “If you have decided, you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it-then you are ready to take certain steps. – pg. 58 Alcoholics Anonymous.
On page 76 of the book Alcoholics Anonymous we are reminded that, “…it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol.”
“Any lengths.” That’s another way of saying reckless abandon. That’s another way of saying we agreed we would lean forward in the foxhole. That’s another way of saying we would terminate our timidity.
The great Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo implored us to set our goals high. To wrest the utmost out of life. To approach life with vigor and enthusiasm. He said, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high, and we miss it, but that it is too low, and we reach it.”
Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Embrace recovery with gusto and enthusiasm and you will be “rocketed into the fourth dimension.” And you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.
