My experience is in hearing this
Came to believe that a power greater than us to restore us to sanity.
Figure that out and i think your headed in the right direction.
7 Likes
God is an answer, if that’s what you need. There’s no one way. I’ve been able to achieve sobriety without God and many people have found it through God.
Do what you need to do to find your sobriety. Just do something!
Be well.
11 Likes
I was a very rational atheist since I was 11 years old and now my higher power is a divine sensuality encompassing abundance, beauty, creativity, connection, love, and pleasure. I’ve used many tools from various religions to create my own spiritual practice that has nothing to do with institutionalized religion or God. It was a lot of experimenting but I’ve gotten a point where I have such a powerful and rooted relationship with myself and I use that as the fulcrum of my spirituality.
I really recommend reading the books of bell hooks! All About Love changed my life
9 Likes
Sobriety-wise there are many tools, programmes and ideologies both spiritual and non spiritual. Whatever works to keep one sober and advancing in their recovery is a good one.
Desperation, humility and prayer can lead you to Christ, who is what your soul ultimately needs. Whether you identify as an atheist, agnostic or something else, God calls everyone. Praying is acknowledging you need help. You do what you can and trust that God helps you with things that you can’t change.
2 Likes
I believe God and the evil one exist, because I have seen the works of both.
I know what it is to feel totally lost and worthless, and my life pointless. I was alone and unloved. I once found myself in a pit that I dug for myself. It had been so very long since I had prayed for anything, but I prayed for deliverance, and over time I was delivered. I was completely alone, and was sent a group of new friends who stood me up, and held me up. I prayed for a new path to walk, and I walked it by faith.
That path has had it’s ups and downs. The downs were always from my own doings, and I prayed to be placed back on that path, and over the years it’s led me to this day. My life is far from perfect, and it’s better than I’d ever thought possible.
Prayer won’t hurt, and it just might help. Prayer doesn’t require faith. Answers to prayer build faith. My strongest most genuine prayers have mostly come when my faith was at its lowest.
10 Likes
I’m participating in a book study right now through cac.org. His book, Breathing Under Water, is the 12 Steps for stinking thinking and unlearning a lot of retribution and judgement that many of us faced growing up in more evangelical and conservative Catholic households. Please know that you aren’t alone. I think you would get a lot out of looking at Richard Rohr’s books and teachings. The God of my understanding is compassionate, kind and very inclusive of all.
I too have taken from various religions to creat a higher power that I’ve learned to let guide me. Also, if you just have the tiniest amount of willingness to at least believe that you will someday see and know that you are worthy, you are on a very solid path moving forward. Acceptance and honesty.
I was at the lowest of the lows spiritually, emotionally and physically in March of 2021. I surrendered and latched on to my AA and TLC community and here as well. I was open-minded and willing. I now have 2 years freedom from alcohol and came through a Stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis. It is a miracle. And now that I have some sober time, I can look back and see where my Higher Power had been at work the whole damn time, even before I got sober.
7 Likes
I am sick spiritually. AA offered me the idea that i can find a God of my understanding. This was an epiphany for me. I dont have to subscribe to an organized religion to be spiritual. I pray but i dont have a face to envision. Im in my infancy of my spiritual journey. You can be spiritual and not subscribe to a specific god.
6 Likes
This is a tough one. I believe in a higher power but not god as imagined by the Christian church (have a very complicated history with religion, including being sexually approached by an adult in a church as a teenager). AA is confusing because they say they are agnostic but then recite the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the meeting.
However, rather than be upset or resentful about this, I embrace it knowing that I can take or leave what works for me from any experience, and I see beauty in others who do find comfort and healing through that. I focus on the many benefits from connecting in person to other addicts. It can be tough sometimes but compassion, empathy, and firm boundaries allow me to participate (even if I don’t fully relate to) the experience. I also think it’s so important to have an open mind. Truth is stranger than fiction and what seems impossible can become reality. I am grateful for these experiences and respect our differences. Everyone has their own journey.
7 Likes
Shoe answer is no…you just have to find something you love to do, everyone has at least on thing they enjoy doing,a couple weeks ago was my six months sobriety,I didn’t need to go to a meeting to get a chip to make myself feel good,I feel good just knowing what I have done,and doing this way has made me so much mentally stronger than ever.i have always been a gym rat even when using heroin for ten years believe it or not.when I decided to get clean I dedicated more time and effort into the gym,and with my real appetite back I started seeing results I hadn’t seen in ten years,after my 30 days I rewarded myself by going another gym,a boxing gym and I must say my life has never been better when I wake up I can’t wait to train,train train…find your nitch homie it’s out there you just have to put in a lil effort yourself and the domino’s will start to fall for you bud… Trust me there’s more than just God and meetings they don’t work for everyone
Good luck with the journey.
Smiley
5 Likes
God really changed my life in every way for the better when I started being honest and doing what Jesus said
1 Like
Me to a “T”. Wrong thread, but sorry about job. Another door is already being opened.
God is a crucial part for my recovery. Although I’m not planning to go to AA meetings (at least not yet.), God is in my life wholeheartedly. I’m a Protestant converting to Eastern Orthodoxy, and I can say honestly that without God I wouldn’t be here.
But everyone has their own path and I respect that, God or not. Pray indeed if you like to, it’s not useless. And you don’t have to be a church member to pray and love God.
Sending lots of hugs! Stay strong!
2 Likes
IDK if it’s helpful, but I was born and raised Catholic and also eschew organized religion. However, I recommend the book, “When Things Fall Apart” by Pema Chodron. It has helped me get through some tough times. Wishing you peace of mind. 
5 Likes
I cant say what is right for you or anyone else. I can say that that it got easier when I prayed and put my faith into my recovery. I have been sober for almost six years now. Faith is extremely powerful. No, you dont need religion to tell you how to pray and believe.
5 Likes
In short…yes. God is the only way.
I have been resisting Him pretty much my whole life and how has that worked for me?
It’s time to let go and let God.
6 Likes
I gave up drinking without religion, I had online therapy for the depression that came with it. I was totally honest with my family and anyone who had doubts in what I was saying. After a while it became easier to talk about.
Try to avoid stressful situations and needless arguments and to spend time doing things that relax you walks in the country etc, religion means nothing after all, if god was all seeing and good he wouldn’t have let get to where you are now in the first place. Good luck, I’m sure you can do it x
2 Likes
I dont believe that God is the ONLY way to recover as i believe that there are many methods to gaining sobriety.
I know that for myself however, i have tried numerous, numerous things to get clean and it wasnt until i began building that relationship with God, that i saw long term recovery. Thats just me tho. I used to struggle with the word God immensely. I couldnt understand why God allowed all the bad things of the world to happen. I came to understand that God doesnt allow these things to happen, thats the the evil and sin in this world. But God IS there to guide us thru it. To turn something awful into something beautiful.
I dont consider myself religous even tho i believe in God. I consider myself spiritual.
I love the saying…
Religion are for those that dont want to go to hell, while Spirituality are for those that have been to hell and dont want to go back.
I was also a chronic relapser, like urself. I struggled with addiction for 22 years. I just couldnt get recovery. I tried so many things to get clean and it wasnt until i became sooo desperate that i reached out to God in Dec of 2022. At first it felt unusual and uncomfortable. But when i prayed, i spoke to Him as if i was chatting to a friend. Talking about my my day, my worries, fears, anything really. Overtime that relationship grew. God is a patience God. He wont punish us or push us to have a relationship with Him. He is juat waiting for us to open that door and invite Him into our lives. And it was one of the best decesions that Ive made to be honest. I dont feel so empty. I dont have the same worries or fears anymore. I dont feel so alone. God truly has done for me what i cant do for myself. And thats directly related to saving me from the disease of addiction.
And when I look into my past and see all the things that shouldve happened, that didnt, I know that God had a hand in that. He has saved me from the streets (i used to be a sex trade worker). Saved me from my past abusive relationship. Saved me from overdosing. God had a hand in saving me from all of that. So i know He didnt leave me, even when I didnt believe. And He didnt leave you either 
5 Likes
This is an older thread and I first posted on it last year, when it was started. From my perspective, no, ‘God’ is not the only way. Everyone gets to find their own way, ‘God’ has not been invoked by me in my journey. If interested, there are threads linked to my profile about my sobriety journey and recovery, outlining what has worked for me, others have the same on their profiles. Keep looking around. There are many paths that can lead to the same destination of healing. Find the one that feels right and healing for you. 
1 Like
Pentecostal raised, In my opinion God doesn’t have anything thing to do with neither my reason to get sober or my way to stay sober.
He or she got a lot to do with the reason I started to abuse drugs or alcohol from the beginning.
Each on their own, if you feel that you might need to put your faith in something outside yourself to stay in track, go for it. But don’t give that higher power the credit for the job you do. Don’t use it as an excuse to keep relapsing.
And you’ll be just fine with whatever you choose.
2 Likes
Firm believer in Jesus Christ and strong in my faith. I’m not here to argue with anyone and never have been. I’m here because I CHOSE to live for him. So because of him I am saved. Go where your heart pushes you. Not your head, your heart. Never make any instant decisions without sitting in your feelings and looking at what’s in front of you. I hope you find your way. Keep fighting for your life.
6 Likes