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NOVEMBER 18 Reflection for the Day

“Nothing is enough to the man for whom enough is too little,” wrote the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Now that we’re free from gambling, and are building our self-respect and winning back the esteem of family and friends, we have to avoid becoming smug about our new-found success. For most of us success has always been a heady brew; even in our new life, it’s still possible to fall into the dangerous trap of “big-shotitis.” As insurance, we ought to remember that we’re free today only by the grace of God.

Will I remember that any success I have today is not mine but God’s?

Today I Pray
May I keep a constant string-on-the-finger reminder that I have found freedom through the grace of God – just so I don’t let my pride try to convince me I did it all myself. May I learn to cope with success by ascribing it to a Higher Power, not to my own questionable superiority.

Today I Will Remember
Learn to deal with success.

NOVEMBER 19 Reflection for the Day

I no longer argue with people who believe that satisfaction of our natural desires is the primary purpose of life. It’s not our business in Gamblers Anonymous to knock material achievement. When we stop and think about it, no group of people ever made a worse mess of trying to live by that “la dolce vita” formula than we did. We always insisted on more than our share – in all areas. And even when we seemed to be winning, that only fueled our compulsion so that we dreamed of still greater winnings. Our compulsion was never satisfied

Am I learning that material satisfactions are simply by-products and not the chief aim of life? Am I gaining a perspective that puts character-building and spiritual values first?

Today I Pray
May I recognize that I never did handle excesses very well, based on my past experience. I have been apt to “want more” of whatever it is I have – love, winnings, money, property, things. May the Gamblers Anonymous Program teach me that I must concentrate on my spiritual, rather than my material, bounty.

Today I Will Remember
It’s okay to be spiritually greedy.

NOVEMBER 20 Reflection for the Day

I’ve come to measure success in a whole new way. My success today isn’t limited by social or economic benchmarks. Success is mine today, no matter what the undertaking, when I tap the power of God within me and allow myself to be an open channel for the expression of His good. The spirit of success works through me as increased vision and understanding, as creative ideas and useful service – as efficient use of my time and energy, and as cooperative effort with others.

Will I try to keep my mind centered in the realization that within me is the God-implanted power to succeed?

Today I Pray
May I develop a new concept of success, based on measurements of the qualities that come from God’s treasure-filled bank of good. To draw from that bank, all I have to do is look within myself. May I know that God’s riches are the only kind that are fully insurable, because they are infinite. May I look in God’s bank for my security.

Today I Will Remember
Spiritual “success” is my security.

NOVEMBER 21 Reflection for the Day

Adversity introduces man to himself, a poet once said. For me, the same is true even of imagined adversity. If I expect another person to react in a certain way in a given situation – and he or she fails to meet my expectation – well, then I hardly have the right to be disappointed or angry. Yet I occasionally still experience feelings of frustration when people don’t act or react as I think they should. Through such imagined – or, better yet, self-inflicted – adversity, I come face to face again with my old self, the one who wanted to run the whole show.

Is it finally time for me to stop expecting and to start accepting?

Today I Pray
May I stop putting words in people’s mouths, programming them – in my own mind – to react as I expect them to. Expectations have fooled me before: I expected unbounded love and protection from those close to me, perfection from myself, undivided attention from casual acquaintances. On the adverse side, I expected failure from myself, and rejection from others. May I stop borrowing trouble – or triumph either – from the future.

Today I Will Remember
Accept. Not expect.