Unfair though these people may be, they give us the opportunity to exercise spiritual muscles. Or we may have a friend who is openly critical of our shortcomings while completely overlooking his or her own. We may make a 200-mile drive to a customer who is completely unprepared to see us, despite having had advanced notice. Now and then, we encounter people who are almost blatant in their unfairness to others. They keep me on the track of right acceptance they break up my compulsive themes of guilt, depression, rebellion, and pride and sometimes they endow me with the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. These fragments of prayer bring far more than mere comfort. When I am feeling depressed, I repeat to myself statements such as these: “Pain is the touchstone of progress.” “Fear no evil.” “This, too, will pass.” “This experience can be turned to benefit.” I pray that I may feel that the Divine Third is always there to help me. I pray that I may be used as a channel by God’s spirit. No personal relationships can be entirely right without the presence of God’s spirit. The moving power behind all spiritual things, all personal relationships between people is God, the Divine Third, who is always there. When a life is changed through the channel of another person, it is God, the Divine Third, who always makes the change, using the person as a means. In all human relationships, the Divine Spirit is what brings them together. Wherever there is true fellowship and love between people, God’s spirit is always there as the Divine Third.

Am I going to let them down, if I can help it? When I’m tempted to take a drink, I tell myself that if I did I’d be letting down the other members who are the best friends I have. I’m trying to be a loyal member of the group. We don’t have to worry about their slipping.

We can depend on those members of any group who have gone all out for the program.

I also felt a joy and a love of God that I had never experienced before. With the help of A.A., and extra counseling, the pain was released and I felt a complete sense of belonging and peace. I was able to discover the freedom from the burden of buried emotions that had caused me so much pain. Until we had talked with complete candor of our conflicts, and had listened to someone else do the same thing, we still didn’t belong.

Aa daily reflections hazelden