July 2

“If you think you are beating the system, you misunderstand the nature of the system. It is not in the nature of systems to be beaten.”

Sex Addicts Anonymous, page 122

When I was in my addiction, I thought I could get away with anything: lying, cheating, stealing. I thought I was entitled to behave this way. I justified those behaviors because I thought I was better than others and therefore didn’t require the social norms that everyone else had to observe—norms like honesty, kindness, generosity, and respect for others. I could take shortcuts without fear of consequences because I was immune.

Of course, I couldn’t escape these social norms. The moral and spiritual support system they provide for humanity endures for one simple reason: it works. Something that works cannot be beaten.

When I first came to the program, I didn’t give it a chance. I took shortcuts or made no effort at all. True, I attended one meeting a week, but I did not get a sponsor, try to work the Steps, or try to grow spiritually. The fruits of this were exactly what the wise pioneers said they would be—nil.

Much like life itself, the program of recovery endures because it works. Now, I do my best to rely on my Higher Power and follow the structure, experience, and discipline of the program exactly the way it is, not the way I would like it to be. Experience has shown me there are no shortcuts.

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The program endures because it works. I pray for the willingness to give an honest effort.