BY: Marc McMahon

Do you believe in a power greater than yourself? Or do you, like many, believe that you are the greatest power? Just curious, it's simply personal preference really, nobody can make that uniquely sensitive choice for you. Nobody, so don't let them tell you they can. It is between you and whatever you are thinking about believing in.

You and you alone ultimately are the sole purveyor of your faith here on earth. No pastor, bishop, or member of the church can make this choice for you. Not your Mom, your Dad, not even your grandmothers best friends cousins brother who wants to be a Monk, can make this decision for you. It is your and yours alone.

There is only one rule to be aware of while you're making your decision, and that is a very important and a much needed safe guard I believe. That one requirement is this decision must be made before you take your last breath! Minor detail, just wanted to make sure you were informed of it though.

What are some of the, but not limited to options out there available for you? Shoot, let me see if I can't list you a few that were high on the list I used when I chose. For me there was the Christian God as the main contender, there was Buhda, there was the Universe itself, and of course' there was the often popular belief. That there is no God of any kind at all.

So why all this talk about the higher power subject you might ask? I just thought I haven't written an article about this topic in quite some time and it was time I revisited the subject. Just as much for me of course, as any body else. I just wanted to briefly touch base on a few of the options available and give a couple of reasons why I feel that it is important to find one.

First of all if you include AA as part of your program or all of, you may want to refer to the "Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous" and read what it has to say about "The Spiritual Condition" while you're at it you might as well just start at the beginning and read the whole darn thing if you haven't already. It is a really good segway into spirituality for beginners in my opinion for sure. Not the only way mind you I definitely did not say that, but one of a many.

I would encourage you to read up and study any and all beliefs of accessing a higher power to aid you in your life and your recovery. Just about every religion or spiritual belief has tons of material published about it you can acquire to make an informed and wise decision.

Short of maybe the choice to enter into recovery, acquiring a higher power is probably the only other choice that you will be faced with that actually has the power to change your life for the better, (eternally). Not just a little better either. In time I am finding that life has the potential to be much grander than I ever thought it could. Present more possibilities than my addicted minds narrow way of thinking cared to admit.

There is a catch though. I attribute my past, my present, and all the possibilities my awesome future Sober has to hold. To be a direct benefit of me being in a "fit spiritual condition." For me that means that I have a higher power, I pray/meditate and I simply try and do the next right thing. If I do that I remain spiritually fit and have a much greater chance of succeeding at remaining sober than if I was not.

If you are still on the fence as to whether or not you really need to have a higher power I would say this. Look at it from this point of view. If there is remotely a chance that all this talk about God, and Buhda and the likes are true. If by the slightest sliver of a chance they do possess a power that can not only aid us in being successful in this life but also in the next than wouldn't you want to be on their team?

I don't know about you but I strongly object to a verdict of losing so I want to be on the winning team. The team that smiles and not frowns, the team that builds up and not tears down. The team that changes the world for the better. Not the one that sits back content with the mediocrity of the status quo.

Your higher power has the key to give you to walk into that team's locker room and sign up. All you gotta do is say, "put me in coach, I'm ready to play." May my higher power bless you and keep you until then!

About the Author: Marc is a 48-year-old Author, Speaker, and Soldier in a war to loosen the grasp that Substance Abuse has on our society. He is a Father, Son, and friend to all those seeking refuge from this incorrigible disease. Marc resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where he enjoys, writing, hiking, and kicking the disease of addiction in the teeth, every chance he gets. As Marc always likes to say, “be blessed, my friends!”