THE NEED FOR BEING SPIRITUAL

I was sharing at a Step meeting and said some stuff that people told me they got a lot out of.
We were reading out of the 12 Steps & 12 Traditions book and were focusing on why our basic instincts seem to run amok. I’m gonna try to recap it here.

I always have a lot to say about the 4th step, but the point I tried to make here is how by doing my personal inventory I was able to see how badly I fell victim to living my life completely on trying to satisfy my ‘corrupted perspective’ instincts alone. By doing this I was able to see the NEED for having a spiritual base in my existence. The 3rd step cracked the door to a higher power open, but the 4th step swung it open a lot more.

All animals have instincts which help them survive (security, shelter, companionship, reproduction, ect). Humans also have these same survival instincts. The problem is that humans have a capacity and NEED for something more - spirituality. This is what truly sets us apart from all other animals (I believe much more so than our level of intellect). The problem is that this blessing can turn into a curse if we don’t come to realize that we MUST USE our spiritual capacity. If we turn away from establishing a spiritual foundation in our lives, the result will always be self-destructive. Some may not destroy their lives by this behavior (like alcoholics & addicts), but will still go through life feeling that some basic need was never addressed. People often describe it as a ’hole’ inside that can never be completely satisfied by anything they try to fill it with. ‘Things’ may temporarily diminish the craving to ’fill the hole’, but in the end the hole returns as empty as it was before.

Having worked on establishing a spiritual foundation in my life I feel so much more complete. I feel that I am living closer to the way that I was designed to be. I still have survival instincts that are attended to, but they help me survive - THEY DON’T RULE OVER MY LIFE. True joy comes from within (my spiritual connection). I have finally found a way to start filling the ‘hole’ with what is truly meant to be put in it.