A daily reprieve is all we have and all we need. . .

Every day we have to align ourselves with the God of our understanding if we want good orderly direction, coupled with peace of mind.  No doubt you have made the decision to seek that direction at least once in your life or you wouldn’t be interested in a blog such as mine.

But seeking it once doesn’t mean we are home free, if you know what I mean.  It’s been my experience, in fact, that an every day request is necessary.  It’s also been my experience that an answer is always forthcoming.  That’s some thing we can count on, “put in the bank,” so to speak.  And the fuller our bank account is, the smoother is our journey.  Today and tomorrow too.

Personally, I am glad we have only a daily reprieve.  If we got one for a life-time, I think we’d be far less aware of the many ways God is showing up in our lives. And not noticing “His” many little miracles denies us the thrill that comes with being aware.  His presence is constant, with or without our awareness.  At least that’s how I interpret it.  But making the decision to be aware is worth it.

I marvel at how brilliant the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous were.  Because they committed themselves to a spiritual program, they were offered “good orderly direction,” a way of living they in turn suggested to us.  The millions worldwide who are sober, at this very moment, are enjoying a daily reprieve because they have followed in the footsteps of Bill and Dr. Bob.  They very specifically said we needed to turn to God for direction every day, not just once.  And we have done so.

This topic came to mind because of a workshop I presented at the Dan Anderson Renewal Center at Hazelden last week end.  One of the participants very vulnerably shared that he felt like he had a hole yearning to be filled where his heart was.  His pain wasn’t specific to his primary relationship or his occupation.  Nor in his role as a dad.  But the emptiness haunted him, was eating him up, nonetheless.  His sharing opened the door to all of us to pray for his healing.  It also was the most obvious way for him to make a plea, to the God of his understanding, for a reprieve from the darkness.

His struggle was not unlike the dark period I had just come through and it was a springboard for me to share my own perspective and “way out” of the darkness.  I have become convinced, over the years, that much, maybe even most of what we ever experience is meant for the good of someone else.  My darkness had a purpose; I was able to identify with him, and he me, which gave him hope that it would pass, as mine had passed.

As I have said repeatedly in blog posts, workshops and many of my books, what we suffer through and then thrive from becomes a comforter for those who seek solace from us at some other time.  Our paths cross because of what we can give one another.  Today I am reminding you of the importance of the daily reprieve.  Tomorrow you will offer me a helpful hand.  That’s simply how the scales are balanced.  Praise be to God.