How I came to rely on God was not as easy as simply “turning it over,” which is a common suggestion in Recovery fellowships. What this phrase means is to let go of that which is out of our control and let God handle it. When it came to my incessant worry and fears that were a result of traumatic circumstances, this “turning it over” was a great idea but offered me no real relief throughout my day. But another suggestion shared with me did work and I will share it with you in this blog post.
Years ago, a woman came into my life and told me about the idea of a God box. This was a literal box that she put her worries and fears into after writing them down on pieces of paper; fears she read to me that were relatable to my own circumstances, all of which had since been taken care of for her or just never came to pass. When this woman learned about all of my overwhelming fears she suggested that I get my own box (mine was a recycled Christmas cookie tin) and ask God to take care of everything I put in there. Then, when the fears, worries, and anxieties tried to creep back in I was to remind myself that I had literally given it to God, so just for that moment I would not worry about whatever “it” was. It was being taken care of.
My God Box
Instead of sitting around endlessly worrying about these things I had put into my God box and “turned over,” I would ask God, “What do you want me to do next?” and most importantly I would listen to and follow my intuitive direction. This practice with staying present and moving forward with the moment became easier and easier as I experienced the results.
Looking back, worries and fears like “God, please help me stay sober,” or “God please take care of my car problems. I can’t afford to fix them and without a car I can’t get to work,” among so many more were all taken care of. It became my natural response to “turn it over.”
The God box is not the sole answer to how I came to rely on God, but it was a much needed beginning on my journey to finding the main answer which is the Solution of Spiritual Recovery.
