by David Lee Byrd
How does your prayer and meditation change while under acute tensions?
The truth is that when we live in faith. Faith that is true and abiding there is nothing that qualifies as an acute tension maker.
When we live in radical acceptance it becomes self-evident that “it is what it is.” When we recognize that everyone is doing the very best they can (with what they know and have) then we are able to also embrace them as brothers and sisters embarked upon this journey called life.
Acceptance does not equate to agreement. It does not mean that we do not desire change. It means that just as pg. 449 of the third edition of the Big Book states, “acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Everything is exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.”
So, with this knowledge deeply ingrained in our thoughts and hearts we are able to approach life’s vicissitudes with grace and dignity. The wonderful words of James in the Bible, provides rhyme and reason to everything that we endure while on this journey. It says:
2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.
How reassuring and completely strengthening this is. We are being molded and shaped by our experiences so that we become people lacking in no good thing. When I begin to weaken, when I begin to question I remind myself of these truths.
Living day to day in gratitude, service, getting out of my own head, reminding myself to stay the course. These are the things that I learned in early recovery that have stayed with me and proven over and over again to be the tools to maintain balance.
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