What Do You Mean, Accept?

From Hope for Today, February 3:

“How ready and willing am I to invite the transforming power of acceptance into my will and my life?

‘Al-Anon offers us a new beginning…We can learn to accept ourselves and become willing to change our attitudes for the better.’”

On the topic of addiction, there are a myriad of things to accept—or not accept. I recognize that this topic invites debate. But I believe that addiction is a brain disease, and accepting this as true has simplified my life a great deal.

It has enabled me, for one thing, to take the first step in my recovery program, admitting my powerlessness over addiction. I’m powerless over all illnesses. I can assist my loved one to get help, but I can’t wave a magic want and wish her illness to go away. Just like a diabetic, my daughter Angie needs to take her medicine if she wants to manage her illness and stay healthy.

So, this is my truth. Avoiding it and continuing to deny, judge, control, and enable only add to the sorrow and suffering I’m already going through. For me, acceptance and faith go hand in hand, and practicing them both on a daily basis lightens my load a great deal and improves the quality of my life.

2 thoughts on “What Do You Mean, Accept?

  1. Acceptance is a hard concept, isn’t it? When I finally give up and choose acceptance over what ever obstacle I am encountering…….my next step is to trust God (as I understand him) and also to realize this isn’t a one time occurrence , it is a continual process in my life.
    I like how you stated it: “to invite the transforming power of acceptance into my will and my life.”.
    And boy, I have been wrestling with an area of acceptance and growth and it is so true that when I avoid it and continue to judge (what I tend to do now)…it definitely adds to my suffering.
    Working on it is a process for me ….somehow my Higher Power wants me to be patient with myself and to keep turning it over to Him when judgement in this instance keeps rearing it’s ugly head. Thanks for the Blog entry and giving me a chance to respond.

    1. Acceptance of what we cannot change is the ultimate test of our humility, I think. It teaches us to be humble and let go of our ego. E—asing G—od O—ut. I feel closer to God’s love when I accept His will for me and have faith in whatever happens. He’s smarter than I am!

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