Within us is the secret
of what we are to become. To find it we seek a sense of serenity. It is then we
see the design for life. The ways of our life are the simple and innocent,
complicated by problems we create.
Burgess
Roye Ponca
Notice
that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr.
Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches
about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the
fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of
circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did
not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be
classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.
We
reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no
resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn't
it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went,
but it didn't go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it
didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it
was worse.
Perhaps
there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the
basis of trusting and relying on God. We trust infinite God rather than our
finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the
extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He
enable us to match calamity with serenity.
Big
Book pgs. 67 & 68
Great
Spirit, help us to look inside for the simple things of who we are.