Dis-trac-tions

I started reading The 40 Days Of Love book today. It's called the
Relationship Principles of Jesus.

It's a book designed to get us to think about the commandment by
Jesus to love God and your neighbors as yourself. It's the greatest
commandment according to Jesus. However, to those of us in recovery,
this seems like landing on the moon compared to where we are.

Addiction is the great distraction from the very thing man was
created to do- fellowship with God. How could I possibly be worried
about such silliness as building relationships with my God and my
family when I am consumed with financial stress? Is it possible to
worry about such trivial things when I have problems, big problems to
work through? I need a drink. I need a good argument. I need money, a
new car, a job, a new spouse, somebody that will treat ME right. What
about me?

Addiction. Food, sex, drugs, codependency, approval, alcohol, and
workaholism, are all convenient distractions that result most often
from broken relationships.

Period.

Now, how important are relationships built on love? The very things
that we need, relationships built on trust and love, are the last
thing we need in chaos! Christ-based recovery is founded upon (re)
building relationships with God and man!

First we dethrone ourselves from the position of being god. Then we
realize I'm not God, and that a power greater than me could restore
me to sanity. Then we go on to a better relationship and trust in God
which paves the way for restored relationships with man.

After healing with God and man, we go on (12th step) and help others,
therefore developing countless new, healthy relationships! No wonder
we do not want to sit in a group and talk! That would take some
modicum of normality in relating to others. That's the very thing
that is keeping us sick. Dysfunctional relations with God and man! We
don't want an accountability group or a sponsor! No way. We are love
broken and relationship broken. Our view of love is distorted in
addiction and chaos.

It's not that the average person in recovery does not want to let
people in their lives, they don't know how. So we stay distracted.
Job, pets, children, vice, television, hobbies - you name it. We've
got stuff to do. We've got circles to run in and houses to re-clean.
Humans have a tendency to avoid that which will help them most. It is
the most bizarre discovery that I have made to date. (more on that soon)

Dysfunctional people need restored relationships with God and man.
That's the answer. We don't need money, lust, and material things as
a way to happiness! How has that been working out, by the way? The
path to restoring finances, jobs, people we can't control,
depression, anxiety, and low self esteem is directed more clearly and
quickly through loving God and loving man.

Just the opposite of how I typically think.