Daily Reprieve - January

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January 11

A SACRIFICE OF THANKS

“For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page 15

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12

For what it's worth: I would sacrifice for a drink, but for no other purpose. I knew the drink was killing me, but I had no idea I needed to change to survive…until my first day in Alcoholics Anonymous. The people there said to escape the horror of an alcoholic death I had to become spiritual. And they were clear about how – daily “work and self-sacrifice for others”. It took many sober years of hard work with my sponsor and other old timers to learn to surrender self for others, but I finally embraced a give-to-receive philosophy, not to attain sainthood, just to sustain my daily reprieve. I notice my Heavenly Father smiles down on me when I give of myself for others. I believe He takes it as a sacrifice of thanks for all He has done for me.

God bless you.
Joe W.