“The distinguished American psychologist, William James, in his book ‘Varieties of Religious Experience,’ indicates a multitude of ways in which men have discovered God.’” (Chapter Two, Big Book)
“1. Of the three common denominators in the case histories, the first was calamity; each person James described had met utter defeat in some vital area of his life. All human resources had failed to solve his problems. Each person had been utterly desperate. 2. The next common point was admission of defeat. Each of the individuals acknowledged his own defeat as utter and absolute. 3. The third common denominator was an appeal to a Higher Power. This cry for help could take many forms, and it might or might not be in religious terms. The responses were equally varied. Some had thunderbolt experiences, as did St. Paul on the road to Damascus; others had slow, gradual transformation experiences. Whatever the type of the experience, however, it brought the sufferer into a new state of consciousness and so opened the way to release from the old problems.” (Three elements of religious or conversion experiences, as described by William James and recounted in Pass It On (the biography of Bill Wilson).)
Actual defeat; recognition of that defeat; asking a Higher Power for help.
There is a big difference, on one hand, between asking someone for help to acquire some information or some procedure from them so that I can solve my problem, and, on the other hand, asking for help because I have absolutely nothing and I am willing to place myself in the hands of a Higher Power, God, something or someone metaphysical and transcendent and do whatever that Higher Power, that God, that something or someone metaphysical and transcendent commands.
In the first case, the sponsor is a dispenser, an ask-it-basket, a Magic 8 Ball, a fortune cookie, and I’m remaining firmly in charge; I’ll be the judge of the ‘suggestions’. I say things like, ‘I agree’. I will thumb up their message. I will give what they say my seal of approval.
In the second case, the sponsor is the present channel for God. His ‘suggestions’ are really commands. I am at an utter loss, and the suggestion is the only item on the menu. It is that or nothing. There is nothing to do but act as indicated.
What’s your experience?