October 1: Just for Today meditation, read by Sabina

Just for Today meditation for October 1, read by Sabina

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October 1

Not just a motivation for growth

"We learn that pain can be a motivating factor in recovery."

Basic Text p.29

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"Pain-who needs it!" we think whenever we're in it. We see no good purpose for pain. It seems to be a pointless exercise in suffering. If someone happens to mention spiritual growth to us while we're in pain, we most likely snort in disgust and walk away, thinking we've never encountered a more insensitive person. But what if human beings didn't feel pain-either physical or emotional? Sound like an ideal world? Not really. If we weren't capable of feeling physical pain, we wouldn't know when to blink foreign particles out of our eyes; we wouldn't know when to stop exercising; we wouldn't even know when to roll over in our sleep. We would simply abuse ourselves for lack of a natural warning system. The same holds true for emotional pain. How would we have known that our lives had become unmanageable if we hadn't been in pain? Just like physical pain, emotional pain lets us know when to stop doing something that hurts. But pain is not only a motivating factor.

Emotional pain provides a basis for comparison when we are joyful. We couldn't appreciate joy without knowing pain.

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Just for today:

I will accept pain as a necessary part of life. I know that to whatever level I can feel pain, I can also feel joy.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Welcome to the Voices of Recovery podcast.
This is your Just For Today episode featuring a recovering
addict. Hi, my name is Sabina.

(00:24):
My clean date is September 9th, 2000.
You're listening to the Voices of Recovery podcast.
This is the just for today, for October 1st.
Not just a motivation for growth.
We learned that pain can be a motivating factor in recovery.

(00:46):
Basic text page 30 Pain, who needs it?
We think whenever we're in it, we see no good purpose for pain.
It seems to be a pointless exercise in suffering.
If someone happens to mention spiritual growth to us while
we're in pain, we most likely snort in disgust and walk away,

(01:10):
thinking we've never encountereda more insensitive person.
But what if human beings didn't feel pain, either physical or
emotional? Sound like an ideal world?
Not really. If we weren't capable of feeling
physical pain, we wouldn't know when to blink foreign particles

(01:31):
out of our eyes. We wouldn't know when to stop
exercising. We wouldn't even know when to
roll over in our sleep. We would simply abuse ourselves
for lack of a natural warning system.
The same holds true for emotional pain.
How would we have known that ourlives had become unmanageable if

(01:52):
we hadn't been in pain? Just like physical pain,
emotional pain lets us know on to stop doing something that
hurts. But pain is not only a
motivating factor. Emotional pain provides a basis
for comparison. When we are joyful, we couldn't

(02:12):
appreciate joy without knowing pain.
Just for today, I will accept pain as a necessary part of
life. I know that to whatever level I
can feel pain, I can also feel joy.
The Voices of Recovery Podcast is an independent production of

(02:33):
the Works of Wisdom. We welcome your questions and
donations via PayPal at [e-mail].
This podcast is an independent production and is not affiliated
with, associated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or
in any way officially connected with Narcotics Anonymous or any
of its subsidiaries or affiliates.

(02:55):
While any literature may be readduring episodes for the purpose
of supporting recovery, such usedoes not constitute an official
endorsement or representation byNarcotics Anonymous.
In accordance with any tradition, the NA name is not to
be used to endorse or be affiliated with any outside
enterprise, and no such endorsement or affiliation is
implied. Music is by SAGE.

(03:16):
Thanks for listening to the Voices of Recovery podcast.