As I’ve shared before, I’m  part of a morning text conversation with about 15 men in the Fellowship, and this morning, one of the men shared this:

“Good morning y’all ☀️

Reading in How It Works this morning this sentence struck me, “He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well.” I’m going to change the tense – “He provides what I need, if I keep close to Him and perform His work well.”  I often hear people share that the spiritual awakening as the result of the steps chang’ed’ them. Almost as if it was a one time occurrence- a healing. I don’t disagree with being changed, but I’m not sure about being healed. I was certainly placed on a new path in life, but there are no escalators on this new path. I still have to travel the path. It is also not bump free! There are dangers along the path along with beauty.  I guess my thoughts of gratitude this morning are that I am aware of my responsibilities in having God provide what I need. Today, I know there are things I have to do. Actions I have to take. Also, those actions aren’t about my wants or really even my needs. (Insert step 3 here). Those actions are about getting me and my difficulties out of the way so I can help someone else.”

I loved that because it got my mind pointed in the right direction this morning.  I responded back with this:

“Morning guys,  Thanks [member’s name] for the sentence, “I don’t disagree with being changed, but I’m not sure about being healed.” In thinking about the difference between being changed and healed, my mind instantly went to the difference between being recovered and cured.

Recovered = Changed
Healed = Cured

Our literature suggests we must have vital spiritual experiences to be able to get, keep, and give away this precious gift that’s been given to us. I always like to run back to the back of the book (pg. 567) and replace in my mind the words spiritual experience with personality change.  I’ve had multiple spiritual awakenings in my time in the Fellowship and each time, I am once again, changed. But to my knowledge, I’ve not been healed or cured thereby relieving me of the need to continue to take action.

It’s a process…
It’s a marathon, not a sprint…
It’s the journey not the destination…

Each of those tells me it’s ongoing with no ending, no “graduation” in sight. Whew! I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be. I like that. I am God’s work in progress. That feels ok with me today!”

I can’t speak for anyone else in the Fellowship, but I can say that after being around each of you for over 3 decades, I AM grateful that I…

remain teachable…
remain willing to be alert, awake, and aware of what needs to be changed in me in that moment…
remain willing to take the action God wants me to take…

… so that I can be the man God put me on this Earth to be today – a man of dignity, integrity, love, kindness and action.