Today’s reading is powerful—it reminds us how difficult it can be to surrender, and how essential that surrender is to begin truly healing. Whether you’re in recovery or simply seeking a life of deeper meaning, today’s reflection is about one core truth: we aren’t in control—and that’s okay.

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The Illusion of Control

Every recovering alcoholic knows the moment—sometimes vague, sometimes crystal clear—when the truth breaks through: We were out of control long before we ever admitted it.

It’s one of the cruel ironies of addiction. Before others see our brokenness, we deny it. We insist we’ve got it under control, that we can stop when we want. We say things like:

• “I just need to cut back.”

• “This time will be different.”

• “I’ve got this handled.”

But as the AA Thought for the Day wisely states, it often takes a lot of punishment to break through that wall of denial. And no one—no person, no force, no disease—dishes out punishment quite like alcohol, or “John Barleycorn,” as the old timers call it.

Those who’ve been through it know. Alcohol takes what it wants, and it leaves nothing behind but guilt, broken promises, damaged relationships, and spiritual emptiness. Still, we hold on—for dear life—to the illusion of control.

The Turning Point: Admission

If we’re lucky—and yes, luck plays a role—we reach a breaking point. Not everyone does.

Some of us wake up in a jail cell (guilty). Others in a hospital. Some are confronted by loved ones, or forced into rehab. But regardless of how it happens, the turning point is always the same: admitting powerlessness.

Not intellectually, but emotionally. Deep in the gut. That’s the moment we finally whisper, maybe even shout: “I can’t do this anymore.”

And it’s terrifying.

But it’s also beautiful. Because that’s the moment when healing begins.

God’s Will and the Stream of Goodness

The meditation for today shifts from despair to hope. It tells us something we desperately need to hear: there is a force for good in the world.

And here’s the real gift: That force wants to work through you.

You see, once we’ve admitted defeat, we don’t fall into a void. We fall into grace. We are carried not by our own strength, but by something greater—a loving Higher Power who invites us into a stream of goodness.

This doesn’t mean life gets easy. But it does get simpler. We are no longer fighting everything and everyone. We’re no longer trying to control the uncontrollable. We are surrendering—not to defeat, but to purpose.

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Aligning Our Will with God’s Will

This is where it gets practical. The meditation invites us to bring our desires into oneness with God’s desires. But how do we do that?

Here are three simple but powerful steps:

1. Pause and Ask: When faced with a decision or a temptation, take a moment to ask, “What would God have me do?” Not what feels good, not what satisfies the ego—but what aligns with love, truth, and goodness.

2. Seek Guidance: Through prayer, meditation, or conversation with a sponsor or mentor, stay open to spiritual direction. You don’t have to know everything. You just need a willingness to listen.

3. Act in Faith: Once you’ve sensed a nudge toward the right path—take it. Even if it’s scary. Especially if it’s uncomfortable. That’s often where growth lives.

Final Thought: Have You Truly Surrendered?

So here’s the challenge: Are you still holding on to the belief that you can manage this on your own?

Or are you ready—really ready—to let go of the wheel and let something greater carry you?

Surrender is not weakness. It’s wisdom. It’s strength born of humility. It’s the beginning of a life not built on fear, but on trust.