A Prayer & Some Thoughts - January

[bluidkiti]

January 12

Ability to Speak Up Prayer

Lord,
I feel held back by my timidity and fear of what others think of me. In times when I should speak up, I remain silent. Help me to have confidence to be bold in saying what needs to be said. I ask that I have the courage to not let others talk over me. Please ease my fear that others will dislike me because of my words. Give me the wisdom to speak truthfully and sensitively. You are my source of boldness and strength.
Amen.

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Just a Thought

We did not realize what real fellowship could be.

A drinking fellowship has a fatal fault. It is not based on a firm foundation. Most of it is on the surface. It is based mostly on the desire to use your companions for your own pleasure, and using others is a false foundation. Drinking fellowship has been praised in song and story. The "cup that cheers" has become famous as a means of companionship. But we realize that the higher centers of our brains are dulled by alcohol and such fellowship cannot be on the highest plane. It is at best only a substitute.

So ............

Do I see my drinking fellowship in its proper light?

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Just a Contemplation

Empowerment

You can think. You can make good decisions. You can make choices that are right for you. Yes, we all make mistakes from time to time. But we are not mistakes. We can make a new decision that takes new information into account. We can change our mind from time to time. That's our right too. We don't have to be intellectuals to make good choices.

Other people can think too. And that means we no longer have to feel responsible for other people's decisions. That also means we are responsible for our choices. We can reach out to others for feedback. We can ask for information. We can take opinions into account. But it is our task to make our own decisions.

I will treasure the gift of my mind. I will do my own thinking, make my own choices, and value my opinions. I will be open to what others think, but I will take responsibility for myself. I will ask for and trust that the Divine Wisdom is guiding me.

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Fear of Rejection

Almost without exception, my AA friends admitted that they had struggled with the same feelings. Some claimed that their fear of rejection stemmed from a lack of self-worth; some of the men laid the difficulty to feelings of inadequacy stimulated by years of drinking. It was also asserted that we couldn't stand the responsibility of being loved and so sought rejection in subtle ways. About the only thing that everyone agreed upon completely was that this problem, like our drinking problem, had a spiritual solution.

The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 1] Page 16

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Just a Quote

“Most fears of rejection rest on the desire for approval from other people. Don't base your self-esteem on their opinions.” ~ Harvey Mackay