It would not be uncommon for someone with years of sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous to share the following at an AA Meeting. “In order to ‘[Come] to believe that the power of God could restore [me] to complete sanity’ (AA Step 2) and ‘[Make] a decision to turn [my] will and my [life] over to the care of God as [I] understood Him’ (AA Step 3) I had to fire my old God.” The first time I heard this comment, I was sitting in a community 12 Step support group. My ears perked up. I was a bit taken back. “But I’m a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! This advice does not apply to my case,” I thought to myself.
I could certainly see how others might need to replace the God of their understanding with another, but not me! My “Higher Power” was God the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, three glorious beings whose work it was to bring to pass my Eternal Life. No sir, the advice to fire my old God and hire a new one did not apply to me! I had been to Primary, Young Women, Seminary, and Brigham Young University. I had spent a lifetime praying to Heavenly Father and singing, teaching and testifying of the true and living God. Adopting a new God could not possibly be the key to the mighty change I desired.
I imagine that like me, many active members of the Church feel they have already taken the first three steps. One day I had an experience that helped me see that in a sense I would do well to revisit my vision of God. It was a very simple experience, a moment in time. My Grandma lived in a neighboring town, just a short distance from our home. One day I was doing housework when a simple impression came into my mind, “Nannette, call your Grandma.” Then, “Nannette, you should call you Grandma!” Then “Nannette, you should’ve called your Grandma!” Then, “Nannette, you are the worst Granddaughter in the world. You hardly ever call your Grandma!!!!” I continued to scrub the bathroom feeling like I’d been given a royal scolding by the God of my understanding. Then these peaceful, gentle words flowed into my mind, “Nannette, I simply said, ‘Call your Grandma. Please don’t assign the drama and the scolding that followed to Me. That was not My voice.”
Today when the devil starts giving me a royal scolding in the name of God I recognize Him for the impostor he is. I ask myself, “Nannette, would your loving Heavenly Father, or His Son, or the Holy Spirit talk to you like that?” The truth is, I didn’t have to fire old my God, but I did have to get to know Him better. I had to learn to recognize His voice. I had to come to trust His character. The God of my understanding today has the same name as He did when I was a little girl. The difference is that today I know He knows me and He loves me. Today I hear His voice more clearly. I didn’t have to fire my old God, but in order to place my hope and trust in Him, just like the alcoholic with years of recovery, I had to fire His impostor.
By Nannette W.
Posted Monday, February 23, 2009
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All rights reserved. Making or sending copies is permitted if the page is not changed in any way and the material is not used for profit. This notice must be included on each copy made or sent.
Thank you for the powerful reminder
I heard you tell this yesterday at group, but it didn’t hit me like it did reading it today. The difference? I needed to talk with my son today about something that he must address and get a handle on before things get out of control. I wanted to come down hard, scare him a little, help him see the seriousness of his actions. Fortunately, before talking with him, I was able to bounce my thoughts off someone I trust, and I came to this same realization as you……Heavenly Father wouldn’t parent Jonah that way – wouldn’t make him feel bad about who he is; wouldn’t shame him. He would teach with love and would create a safe place in which his child could learn. I want to parent more like my Father in Heaven. And I want to talk to myself that way as well.