Without Him, I Cannot

This is a two-part blog, a Meditation upon divinity and relationship this week and next.

“Without God, I cannot; with God, I can.

And.

Without me, God cannot; with me, God can.”

Aphorisms can be savoured. And this one was a tasty morsel of truth.

Without my Higher Power, there are things I cannot do, problems I cannot solve, and defects I cannot see. And with my Higher Power, I can do things, solve problems, and see defects.

But it is a partnership, a mutually supportive relationship. I need God, and he needs me. I must do these things, solve those problems, and see these defects. He will not do them for me.

My drinking problem was the first example of this truth.

I could not stop drinking on my own; I knew I had a problem, but knowing I had a problem did not solve the problem. Knowledge and self-will did not do the trick. Despite all the bad experiences and consequences, despite knowing from experience I had no control over my drinking, I would find myself having a drink. That would light the fuse; my allergic reaction to alcohol kicked in, and I was off on another binge.

God did not stop this pattern until I did my part. But when I did my part, God could help.

For drinking, my part was coming to AA and following simple instructions. In so doing, I discovered a path to God, as I understood Him. And with Him, with His help, I stopped drinking and stayed stopped.

Without God, I could not stop. With God, I could.

And

Without me, God would not work. With me, God could.

God will not ‘do;’ He will only ‘help.’ Both of us are necessary; only one is not sufficient.