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Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
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  • #43908
    Dan
    Participant

    Welcome!

    • This topic was modified 1 year, 6 months ago by Dan.
    #44164
    Tim
    Moderator

    “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

    If it were not for my solid catholic faith growing up, the firm belief system my mother instilled in us, and the guidance my father showed, I would still be on step 2. I have always wished to have the faith I had as a child; I never questioned anything. I know I loved God, and God loved me. When I hear of others struggling with step 2, I struggle to understand why.

    When I ask God for something, and it doesn’t happen, I used to get angry. Today I thank God for my unanswered prayers. Because I am grateful for where I am, what I am, and who I am. I feel God is calling me to work in recovery and help others. However, that may be.

    What are your thoughts on step 2?

    #45911
    Linda Picchioni
    Participant

    Step 2- I had a solid faith coming into program. Step 2 more of an eye opener to me that I was not allowing God into certain areas of my life. Whether from pride, shame, fear, masks, I needed to let God be God over every part of my life.

    Linda

    #46572
    Kathy G
    Participant

    ISA STEP TWO “Came to believe that a loving Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

    When I entered ISA (Infidelity Survivors Anonymous), not only was I devastated, confused, and angry at my husband, in an immense amount of pain, but I was also very angry at God! I felt like He had let me down and abandoned me when I needed Him the most! I had developed a personal relationship with God over the years I had previously spent in AA, Al-Anon, Celebrate Recovery and SIA.
    I grew up in a very rigid religious home. It was abusive on many levels: physical, sexual, verbal and spiritual. I grew up with a lot of fear of the outside world but also fear within my own home. I never knew why I distrusted others, was timid, and just wanted to melt into the walls and disappear. Alcohol became my friend as a teen and helped me come out of my shell. This developed quickly into an addiction that would eventually, two years into my marriage, lead me to seek recovery.
    As a child, I learned that there was a God that was punishing and vengeful, looking for the slightest thing to punish me for. My sponsor in early recovery had me explore my ideas of the God of my understanding. How did I picture Him? What was He like? What qualities did He have, good and bad? How would I describe my father and his characteristics, good and bad? As I began a side-by-side comparison of my father and my God, it became very clear that they were identical: I was terrified of both, afraid of criticism or punishment, no mercy for mistakes, no second chances, no love, only judgment! This insight helped me to consider what qualities I thought a Higher Power should have and what qualities I would like my God to have. That was the beginning of the opening of my heart, my mind, my eyes, and my ears! Slowly, I noticed at Mass during the homilies, I was no longer hearing hell, fire, and damnation, but I was hearing love, mercy, and hope. The priests and their homilies hadn’t changed, but my perception had! This little bit of open-mindedness had given me hope that maybe there was a loving Higher Power who could help me instead of condemning me. “For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work.” Philippians 2:13

    I had begun to trust through the grace and mercy of God. My husband was the one closest to me and I gave him unconditional trust. I knew he loved me and would never hurt me. So, when the discovery of infidelity hit, the rug was pulled out from under me! I was completely blindsided and traumatized! In complete disbelief, I turned on God! “How could you?” “Why have you let me down?” “I have worked so hard in recovery; I don’t deserve this!” In other programs, I had heard it said, “God hasn’t brought you this far to drop you now!” So I clung to this promise: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
    I spent a day at a healing workshop one afternoon while my husband was in treatment for his sex addiction. As I walked outside to get a breath of fresh air, I looked across the street and saw a pile of rubble, concrete and rebar where they had demolished a building and were ripping up the foundation. In that moment, the Lord spoke to my heart saying, “Your marital foundation was faulty from the beginning. I am tearing it up to rebuild and make it new.” Powerful! From then on, I began to see what was happening in my marriage and with my husband in a new light. God did know what he was doing and I had to trust Him. “Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:5

    This new openness to allowing my God, my Higher Power, into my life again gave me the hope I needed to release the grasp of control I had on my life to restore my own safety and stability. Now I had to be willing to allow Him to restore me to sanity since all I had done had not worked!

    #46741
    Kathy G
    Participant

    I forgot some of my favorite Bible quotes for this Step!

    Step 2 Hope:
    For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

    Step 2 Restore:
    He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, [for] the old order has passed away.” The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:4-5

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