Early on in recovery....a statement made by another AA member somehow penatrated by foggy mind.

He said, "I could not think my way into taking action but, by taking action my thinking has changed."

Ree

P.S. nice to know you are back James....How are you doing?

So, are you saying this? God has given me certain gifts, one of which is a fair intelligence level. Am I to to waste God's gifts or should I utilize those gifts to promote good will, inclding addiction recovery?

I say intelligence and a deep reliance on God can co-exist. What say you?

I will answer that though, not directed at me. kd8uioWPM.....Absolutely, intelligence and a deep reliance on God can co-exist.

I will say though that that deep reliance on God takes time...lol...doesn't happen over night, I am sure it didn't for me.

It took taking the action that those before had taken to form that relationship, trust and thereafter reliance.

This alcoholic was self-will run riot...there wasn't any room for reliance on God. zip

Wrong! God influenced thought.....

So true, my intelligence is a valuable asset to me in my life but was worth nothing in terms of recovery from alcoholism. I tried it for long enough to know that this is one problem I couldnt think my way out of.

My therapist said to me in treatment - "No one is too stupid to get well, some people are too clever but you are not one of them" - that put me in my place.

I go by a similar saying Angelhope.
I also heard this a long time ago and it has stuck with me.

"It's easier to live your way into good thinking than it is to think your way into good living"

I have not used AA so I my be missing your point about thinking your way sober. I am pretty sure I agree with you -- my decision to not drink was not one I made with my intellect. My resolve and conviction that I will never drink again comes from a place very different from my "thinking mind."

I am using my intelligence and thoughts as tools to stay sober though. I use the thoughts that come from the "real me" to push out the insidious "I need to drink" thoughts. I use my intelligence to think about and remember the toll that drinking takes on my body and the death I am looking at if I start again. And I use my intelligence to develop strategies to get my over the rough spots. (My dog is very happy that walk time has replaced cocktail time!)

Does this make sense? I am understanding your points?

Well spoken ExJersey. I was incapable on my own of even using fear of the past debaucles and cost to my health to stop drinking. At least it never worked for long. If what you're doing is working for you, you go girl! So happy for you and your smilin' pooch!

I worked with a very spiritual woman who also said "I've never seen a drunk too dumb to get sober but I've met a couple that were too smart".

So, all the intelligence in the world could not have removed my obsession with alcohol. It wasn't until much later that I came to believe that there was a spiritual entity transforming my life. Only then could I use the brain God had given me to good purpose.

For me, this is about Keeping It Simple too.

I know intelligence can (and notice the can) mean that some think way too deep. I have heard shares in the rooms where people try to use science instead of HP for the program and they just don't get it.

It's like faith and works - both go hand-in-hand with each other. You must put new habits into practice before your thought patterns change. If you were capable of changing your thought patterns first, you would have quit drinking a long time ago.

Good post, but I like the way Angel's friend worded it because I've experienced similar results in my own life.

I have heard the saying, "you can't think your way into sobriety, but you can act your way into it" or something to that affect, I have found it to be true.