What to Do When You Don't Know How to Surrender
When I was less than two years sober and going through an extended run of difficult, troubling life problems which were the result of my drinking years, I was not doing very well emotionally. One day when I was stretched really thin, I shared at my home group; it was quite a litany of challenges. After the meeting, a well-meaning, old timer put his hand on my shoulder and told me, “You just need to let go and let God.”
I cracked. “Every damned morning I get out of bed, hit my knees and pray for any kind of help I can get. All day long I try to practice the twelve steps as best I’m able. I’m doing everything I’m told to do. What more do you suggest?”
If you did not feel the tone, it was not pleasant. I was frustrated and suffering, despite everything I knew to do. The old timer backed off.
On that day it became clear to me that we don’t actually know how to turn it over, how to let go, how to surrender. And over the years it’s become clear that a lot of us don’t know how. We know it’s possible, we just don’t know how to get it done.
So when we saw this article on the nitty gritty of surrender, we knew we had to pass it on. While it is not specifically about recovery, it’s a rich, deep dive and very useful. Check it out. Take what you like and leave the rest.