First Things First

Thought for today:

A lot of people suffer from compulsive debting without a program of recovery.  Often, they seek professional help from a therapist for their anxiety.  But therapists rarely understand the peculiar twist of mind that creates the need for us to debt.  We were rarely honest with them or even ourselves about the depth of our debts, so how could we expect them to understand?

A member shares:

“My first introduction to DA came from my psychotherapist. I had amassed a debt of several thousand dollars with him for his services, and I wasn’t getting anywhere. This was mostly due to my lack of honesty about the extent of my debts.

“But there came a time when I couldn’t hide it any more.  I told my therapist that I owed many other people a lot of money, not just him.  Familiar with the Twelve Steps, he researched and found the fellowship of DA and recommended it to me.

“It’s ironic, but true, that therapy put me into debt, and debt brought me to my knees.  But DA brought sanity back!

“Shortly after my first meeting, I stopped therapy, because DA taught me that I didn’t have to debt any more.  I was developing a spending plan, but my money had to go toward food and shelter first.  Meetings had to take the place of therapy for a while.

“I started making small payments to repay my therapist.  When I made my last payment to him I felt strange – grateful that I found the fellowship, and grateful that the fellowship of DA was helping me.  I realized that my debt from the therapy I was receiving had damaged my self-esteem.  The good therapist agreed.  I left feeling free, and never looked back.

“I now know that I don’t have to take on unsecured debt, no matter what.  There is always an alternative if I dig deep enough and am willing to go to any lengths to stay solvent.

“So I had to put First Things First when it came to debt.  The thing that was making me sick was what I thought was my very treatment.  Evnentually I went back to therapy on my terms, with dignity.  And it worked much better that way.  I was paying cash for a service that was helping me.”

No matter what:

When a debtor finds the program of recovery from the compulsion to debt, they have a good chance of getting and staying solvent.  They just have to place First Things First.  And for the debtor, the first thing is to stop incurring unsecured debt, no matter what.

Ask:

Do I know that no matter what, I don’t have to debt today?

Meditation for today:

There is no place that life takes you that grace cannot help you.  Trust in the power of love and mercy. It is real power for fragile souls.  Continually turn back to the thought, “What would my Higher Power have me do?”, and follow that thought to its logical conclusion.  There is peace and contentment at the end of all such action.

Affirmation for today:

“Faith carries me, hope inspires me, and humility guides me.

“I accept today’s successes and its disappointments as the pathway to peace. I will learn from everything I experience today.”

A Currency of Hope: The basic text of Debtors Anonymous.

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