More Excuses you'll here in the fellowship

You'll here the previous mentioned excuses from members as well as these, The purpose of posting these is that you'll notice how we can stifle our own growth and leave openings for relapse . I say this because the truth is RELAPSE starts far before the using, it's in the behaviors and the LIES we start telling others and ourselves. That is how relapse happens, it starts in the little things. That's why I'm posting these excuses. So that you can catch yourself before you LIE to yourself. We may all have a relapse in us , The real question is do we have another recovery in us??? This may be our one and only shot at it--LIFE that is.

"Well after all. one doesn't HAVE to do ---- or ----, to stay clean and sober, or to accomplish this or that." A long one, but an old stand-by so often used by our first step Johns and Jills and our twelfth step guys and gals and the meeting every now and then gents and ladies. Since everything in the program, including the 12 steps, is only suggested, this is the perfect excuse to omit almost anything not strictly of obligation with a clear conscience. How often do we hear this excuse in the spiritual life; one doesn't have to pray every day, one doesn't have to go to meetings frequently, one doesn't have to meditate regularly, and on and on. No one doesn't, absolutely, however one does have to die , sooner or later right? And Then? You take it from there...

How about this one"I know a guy/gal and he/she is a wonderful person, who does this, or that," -- Isn't amazing how many very ordinary people become wonderful people or wonderful AA's, NA's WhateverA's when we want to use them to justify our behavior! You've heard it, "I know this guy, great NAer clean and sober years and he doesn't go to meeting much, or he doesn't do 12 step work often. or she doesn't go for this prayer and meditation stuff, ETC, ETC, ETC... ad infinitum. So having identified ourselves with this imaginative "wonderful person" our conscience is easily lulled and justified--SO WE THINK!
If this "wonderful Person" is even real then they are the 1 in a thousand that can get away with it and not pay the ultimate price, Do you really want to chance those odds, and even then I would wager sooner or later relapse will happen or at the very least they will never get the full measure of being HAPPY JOYOUS and FREE
Remember God Does Not Make Garbage