All to often, people fail in their recovery attempts only because they were in a hurry. Even in recovery…things take time.
For alcoholics and addicts, it is especially true that difficulties play an enormous part in our lives. They call forth our power, our strength, and our energies as nothing can. But when clean and sober, sometimes they strengthen character.
All nature has been so arranged that nothing of value is found without work and effort. A student’s mind is expanded by introducing new difficulties which the student must overcome with discipline and effort put forth. The moment a lesson has become easy, the student is advanced to one that is more difficult. It is in confronting and mastering difficulties that our highest accomplishments are found.
Some accomplishments are conquered with ease and spontaneously, while some are more time consuming. Your time belongs to you – you alone have the right to command it. Time has power over all things. The history of man and his accomplishments is proof of how, slowly but surely, time has made him what he is today. It is under the laws of time and its power that you will be able to defeat your addictions.
Another conceptual use of time to strengthen your chances of a successful recovery is spent in prayer. Every minute spent with your Higher Power is valuable. If only a few minutes is all the time you can give, do your best during that time. Your addiction will try to convince you that there isn’t enough time in a day for recovery devotion. Most people can spare more time in spite of their denials. If you will only persevere moment by moment, day by day, time will come of its own accord.