But there is a catch. I know firsthand all the misery and guilt that comes along with it. And that is something I want no part of. Plus, in my present life, every now and then I think I do manage to do God's will. And, when I do, then the rewards are so tremendous and satisfying that I get kind of addicted to that closeness to God.
Spirituality is for people who have been there.
Perhaps, suggested Jung, alcoholics have a greater thirst for the spirit than other people, but it is all too often misdirected. Early in the AA program, two groups divided over the issue of perfectionism. The other, led by Bill Wilson, started with a dependence on grace, an acknowledgment that its members would never achieve perfection. We in the church have as much to learn from people in the recovery movement as we have to offer them. I was struck by one observation from an alcoholic friend of mine.