Economic Insecurity

In the Big Book of AA are promises which include the following:

"If we are painstaking about this phase of our development ... [f]ear of people and economic insecurity will leave us." (pp. 83-84)

Is that true? Is that what others have experienced?




This addict admits that fear of people is less than what it was, but fear of economic insecurity is still way up there. Especially when the addict's spouse feels this fear so deeply. Can the addict separate his own fear from that projected by his spouse? Would it mean anything if he could? Woud it be fair?

The addict and his family are in tight economic times. This is not due to the addict's lack of earning power. Even with past screw-ups the addict is still making a good living.

But the addict's past created an enormous amount of debt which his spouse took on when she married him. Despite the addict's earning power, the debt seems to be winning. Life is month-to-month, paycheck-to-paycheck.

The addict is a believer. The addict is a Christian who places his faith in Christ for joy and redemption. And so the addict prays the "Our Father" daily.

This foundational prayer includes the petition that the Lord "give us this day our daily bread."

Daily bread ... no more, no less.




The root of the daily bread prayer can be seen in the Book of Proverbs:

"Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

"Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God."

[Proverbs 30:8-10]


So as a Christian the addict is to be concerned only with the needs of the day. Faith is that God will provide for today's needs only.

And from the promises of recovery the addict is supposed to lose his fear of economic insecurity.

Perhaps this addict is weak in faith or perhaps this addict is not seriously working the program of recovery. For this addict still has fears of economic insecurity. How are the bills going to be paid again this month? Can I put anything aside for retirement? Vacation? Education for the children?

The addict believes that a day will come when the promises prove true. For now though, the addict still has fear. The potential for economic insecurity is a very real burden for today's addict.

I surrender ...