Honesty

Mark Lundholm - From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid

Mark Lundholm

Recovery Comedy Presents Steve Johnson

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

More Excuses

Here's one you might know; "Everybody else does it"- one of the most common excuses used to justify almost any behavior no matter how wrong in itself. The more people we can adduce who do something which we are trying to justify in ourselves, the more is our own guilt minimized--so we think. And in the thinking we do salve our conscience, don't we? But do we really deep down? And do we change the basic law/value/principle we are breaking? Now really do we? Doesn't it remain the same even if everybody else does act contrary to it? Is right still not right and wrong , wrong, no matter how many want to do it?


Here's another favourite---"I'm not a saint"--A very potent excuse for any fault, wrongdoing or behavior, that I may not to or willing to correct. And the funny thing about this excuse, it has more truth than the most others.There can be no doubt about it--I'm not a saint. However do you have any concept of what your higher power will say way you try to pass that one off . After all the help. opportunities and grace you have been granted. I would not want to be there for that one. Let's face the truth of it We use this one when we know we are wrong period, we are just attempting to avoid taking responsibility. On a side not what is a Saint, was it ever stated that a Saint doesn't or has never made a mistake.

Remember God does not make garbage

The Habit of Making Excuses

This to one degree os another we are all guilty of this is one of the aspects the 12 Steps will eliminate > If we but apply them and the accompanied principles on a daily basis. Once we are laid bare to see ourselves for who and what we are, without the Grace of God and Belief in our own God we will slip back into this spiraling Habit . in the next few days we will examine a few of the most common> Let us start with one you might know,

" But I'm an alcoholic/addict"-Lo, the number one excuse N.A. , A.A. , C.A. ETC...
And with this trump card up one's sleeve almost any aberration can be easily excused, and our conscience will feel peaceful, and our responsibility pratically nullified.For what can we expect? I'm an alcoholic/addict or whatever.

We Get Angry--But what did you expect? We're....
We are Lazy--But what did you expect? We're..
We are dishonest--But what did you expect? We're
And on and on-- Butyou know what? It won't be long until such wiilhave to aff an adjective to that excuse: or perhaps just another line: We're ... and we're drinking/using... AGAIN.
But after all what did you expect?

Really, let's face it aside from the compulsion to drink/use ETC , there isn't any difference between the alcoholic/addict and the rest of society. This is just an Excuse to justify behavior, Or more strongly put a BOLD FACED LIE.
Remember God Does Not Make Garbage