Chattanooga Area
of Narcotics Anonymous
Drug Problem?
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August 24, 2026 |
Seeking God’s will |
| Page 246 |
| “We learn to be careful of praying for specific things.” |
| Basic Text, p. 46 |
| In our active addiction, we usually did not pray for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry it out. On the contrary, most of our prayers were for God to get us out of the mess we had made for ourselves. We expected miracles on demand. That kind of thinking and praying changes when we begin practicing the Eleventh Step. The only way out of the trouble we have made for ourselves is through surrender to a Power greater than ourselves. In recovery, we learn acceptance. We seek knowledge in our prayers and meditation of how we are to greet the circumstances that come our way. We stop fighting, surrender our own ideas of how things should be, ask for knowledge, and listen for the answers. The answers usually won’t come in a flash of white light accompanied by a drum roll. Usually, the answers will come merely with a quiet sense of assurance that our lives are on course, that a Power greater than ourselves is guiding us on our paths. We have a choice. We can spend all our time fighting to make things come out our way, or we can surrender to God’s will. Peace can be found in accepting the ebb and flow of life. |
| Just for Today: I will surrender my expectations, look to my Higher Power for guidance, and accept life. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2026, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
August 24, 2026 |
Finding Healing in Humor |
| Page 244 |
| “The way we share . . . finding humor in some of the darkest, most frightening things that have happened to us–is not always available outside the rooms.” |
| Living Clean, Chapter 2, “Connection to the World Around Us” |
| In NA, we often get to know each other from the inside out. “I knew the biggest hopes and fears of some of the members of my home group before I knew their last names or what kind of jobs they had,” one member shared. We may never know the inner life of nonaddicts the way we know each other in NA–and it’s a big part of why we’re able to laugh with and poke fun at our fellow NA members. Humor often comes in the form of a surprising or unexpected gap between expectation and reality. In society, there are lots of expectations about how people ought to act around one another–expectations that we addicts disregard completely. The nonaddicts in our lives often do not see what’s so funny. Sometimes that’s the joke: “Normal” people act one way; we addicts act very differently. When we hear members share their bizarre ideas and actions, we relate and are relieved that we’re not alone. Many of us find a deep well of humor in the way denial framed our experience. Sometimes that’s the joke. “I thought my life was like something out of a big-shot gangster film– money and drugs and lots of drama. In reality, it was more like a depressing ad for keeping your kids off drugs.” The stark contrast between reality and the imagined movie version of our stories might seem pathetic or deranged to outsiders, but we lived to tell–and we can knowingly laugh at ourselves today. Humor helps us heal as we come to terms with the reality of our lives. We see the outrageous gap between our behaviors and what “polite” society expects. (Of course, there are gaps–we’re square pegs in round holes!) Or we notice the laughable distance between our lives and our fantasies. We share our inner selves in a way we can’t anywhere else, often giving our fellow members a good chuckle. We stop taking ourselves so seriously, let our flaws show, and start to grow. It can be very funny, but it’s no joke! |
| By sharing my insides with other addicts, I can learn to laugh at the insanity of addiction–and let go of it, little by little. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2026, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
About NA
Anonymity
The basic premise of anonymity allows addicts to attend meetings without fear of legal or social repercussions. This is an important consideration for an addict thinking about going to a meeting for the first time. Anonymity also supports an atmosphere of equality in meetings. It helps insure that no individual’s personality or circumstance will be considered more important than the message of recovery shared in NA.
Who are members of NA?
Anyone who wants to stop using drugs may become a member of Narcotics Anonymous. Membership is not limited to addicts using any particular drug. Those who feel they may have a problem with drugs, legal or illegal, including alcohol, are welcome in NA. Recovery in NA focuses on the problem of addiction, not on any particular drug.
How does NA work?
Addicts helping each other recover are the foundation of NA. Members meet regularly to talk about their experiences in recovery. More experienced members (known as sponsors) work individually with newer members. The core of the NA program is the Twelve Steps. These “steps” are a set of guidelines outlining a practical approach to recovery. By following these guidelines and working closely with other members, addicts learn to stop using drugs and face the challenges of daily living.
Narcotics Anonymous is not a religious organization and does not mandate any particular belief system. It does teach basic spiritual principles such as honesty, open-mindedness, faith, willingness, and humility that may be applied in everyday life. The specific practical application of spiritual principles is determined by each individual. Recovery in NA is not a miracle cure that happens within a given period of time. It is a process, ongoing and personal. Members make an individual decision to join and recover at their own pace.
NA Meetings
Financial contributions from non-members are not accepted. Most NA meetings are held regularly at the same time and place each week, usually in a public facility. There are two basic types of meetings those that are open to the general public and those closed to the public (for addicts only). Meetings vary widely in format. Some formats are: participation, speaker, question and answer, topic discussion, and some have a combination of these formats. The function of any meeting is always the same: to provide a suitable and reliable environment for personal recovery.
NA’s primary approach to recovery is its belief in the therapeutic value of one addict helping another. Members take part in NA meetings by talking about their experiences and recovery from drug addiction. NA meetings are informally structured, held in space rented by the group, and are led by members who take turns opening and closing the meeting. NA meetings and other services are funded entirely by member contributions and the sale of recovery literature.
Reprinted from A Resource In Your Community.
Anonymous World Services, Inc.
PO Box 9999, Van Nuys, CA 91409
August 24, 2026 |
Seeking God’s will |
| Page 246 |
| “We learn to be careful of praying for specific things.” |
| Basic Text, p. 46 |
| In our active addiction, we usually did not pray for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry it out. On the contrary, most of our prayers were for God to get us out of the mess we had made for ourselves. We expected miracles on demand. That kind of thinking and praying changes when we begin practicing the Eleventh Step. The only way out of the trouble we have made for ourselves is through surrender to a Power greater than ourselves. In recovery, we learn acceptance. We seek knowledge in our prayers and meditation of how we are to greet the circumstances that come our way. We stop fighting, surrender our own ideas of how things should be, ask for knowledge, and listen for the answers. The answers usually won’t come in a flash of white light accompanied by a drum roll. Usually, the answers will come merely with a quiet sense of assurance that our lives are on course, that a Power greater than ourselves is guiding us on our paths. We have a choice. We can spend all our time fighting to make things come out our way, or we can surrender to God’s will. Peace can be found in accepting the ebb and flow of life. |
| Just for Today: I will surrender my expectations, look to my Higher Power for guidance, and accept life. |
| Copyright (c) 2007-2026, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved |