“Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities.” (Chapter 6, Big Book)
Sometimes I have to work the programme to be OK.
This is normal.
The fact I have to work the programme does not mean I do not have a good programme.
Having a good programme means working the programme each day because I need to each day.
I am not ‘meant’ to be so permanently up to scratch spiritually that I do not need to work the programme.
In the same way that I have to do the dishes because I have done something right, namely prepared and eaten a meal, I need to work the programme each day because I have done something right, namely continued to strive to do God’s will for the past twenty-four hours.
If I was not at risk of surrendering totally to God, the devil would not take an interest.
He leaves people alone who are in his grip. Sliding through life without touching the sides is usually a sign I am in the devil’s hands.
On the spiritual path, I have to be prepared for backlash, machinations, battering rams, and termite armies sent by the devil.
This is all a sign I am doing something right, not something wrong.
A flick of the programme, however, and I am OK.
The ox’s tail flicks away the flies and it carries on ploughing.