13 September | Just for Today
Something Different
"We had to have something different, and we thought we had found it in drugs."
Basic Text p.13
Just for today: My Higher Power is the "something different" that's always been
missing in my life. I will use the steps to restore that missing ingredient to my spirit.
Discovering What We’ve Always Needed
The True Solution Beyond Drugs
September 13 – Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts
In the quest for a sense of completeness, many of us turned to drugs, believing they could fill a profound void. Today’s meditation invites us to reflect on this journey and recognize how recovery offers a more meaningful solution. Let’s explore the notion of “something different” and how a relationship with a Higher Power fulfills the longing we once sought to address through substance use.
The Search for Completeness
Feeling different or incomplete is a common experience for many addicts. This sense of being out of place or inherently flawed often drives us to search for a remedy that will make us feel whole. For many, drugs appeared to be that remedy—a means to escape the pervasive sense of emptiness and inadequacy.
In the haze of addiction, the drugs offered a temporary reprieve from these feelings. They provided a fleeting sense of fulfillment and connection, masking the deep-seated longing that we believed only substances could address. However, the initial comfort provided by drugs was short-lived. What began as a solution soon became part of the problem, complicating our lives and intensifying our feelings of emptiness.
The Illusion of Drugs as a Solution
As we continued using, the drugs that once seemed like a miracle cure became a source of deeper suffering. When the effects wore off, the underlying emptiness returned, often magnified by the struggles and consequences of addiction. The temporary relief offered by drugs was insufficient to resolve the fundamental issues we faced.
When we finally made the decision to stop using, the sense of emptiness resurfaced with renewed intensity. It was at this point that many of us felt despair, unsure of how to fill the void left by the absence of drugs. It became clear that the solution we had been seeking was not found in substances but in something far more profound.
Finding True Fulfillment in Recovery
Recovery introduces us to a transformative way of addressing the void we once tried to fill with drugs. Through the Twelve Steps, we learn that our lifelong yearning was for something deeper than temporary relief—a connection with a Higher Power. This relationship provides a sense of purpose and completeness that substances could never offer.
As we work the steps and build our relationship with a Higher Power, we discover that the “something different” we needed was spiritual in nature. This newfound connection offers us a sense of wholeness and acceptance that surpasses the fleeting satisfaction we once sought through drug use.
Embracing the New Solution
Just for today, recognize that your Higher Power is the answer to the sense of emptiness that drugs could never truly resolve. By continuing to work the steps and nurture this relationship, you are restoring a vital ingredient to your spirit that had been missing for so long. Recovery offers a path to genuine fulfillment and peace that extends far beyond the temporary escape of addiction.
Just for Today
Acknowledge that your Higher Power provides the completeness and purpose you once sought through drugs. Embrace the steps as a means to cultivate this vital relationship and experience the profound fulfillment that comes with it.
Summary
The search for something to fill the void within us often led us to drugs, but these substances offered only a temporary fix. Through recovery, we discover that what we truly needed was a connection with a Higher Power. This spiritual relationship fulfills the deep-seated longing we once tried to address through addiction, offering lasting peace and wholeness. Embrace this new path and let it guide you to the fulfillment you’ve been seeking.
