Facing the Choice Between Reason and Faith
I recently heard an entertainment figure say that after several years of sobriety, he is no longer completely sober and now drinks in moderation. His story reminded me of Fred in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Fred understood his drinking problem and reasoned that self-knowledge and the right frame of mind would be enough to keep him sober. But reason alone could not save him. Like many alcoholics, Fred had to face the deeper choice between relying on his own understanding and stepping into faith. In time, he found recovery through a spiritual life.
One of my favorite reminders that reason has its limitations comes from a challenge in Alcoholics Anonymous (p. 53): “When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing.”
In sponsorship, I was taught to use this reading to determine whether a person is ready to commit to Step Two. The question is direct: “God either is or He isn’t. What was our choice to be?” Therefore, setting aside reason for faith becomes a simple yes-or-no proposition. If they pause too long to debate it, they may not yet be desperate enough or willing.
When Reason Can Only Take Us So Far
The Big Book continues: “We were grateful that Reason brought us so far. But somehow, we couldn’t quite step ashore. Perhaps we had been leaning too heavily on Reason that last mile and we did not like to lose our support” (p. 53). In other words, reason can bring us close, but faith must carry us the rest of the way.
So, we must ask ourselves an honest question: is our higher power still Reason, or is it God?
Setting Aside Reason for Faith in God
To begin setting aside reason for faith, consider this: if God is not visible to the human eye today, He cannot be proven by sight alone. That may sound logical. However, about 2,000 years ago, Scripture records that God became incarnate and lived in the flesh for about 33 years. Only a relatively small number of people physically encountered Him. Since then, the rest of humanity has had to rely on faith without seeing Him directly.
Now, reread the Big Book proposition above. As a result, the choice becomes clearer: either God is everything, or He is nothing.
Faith as a Necessary Step in Recovery
For recovering alcoholics, survival depends on understanding that we cannot live by reason alone. Without faith, we may never reach the shore. Instead, we can remain stuck in the boat, drifting along a rocky shoreline and searching for a safe place to land. Therefore, setting aside reason for faith is not just an idea. It becomes a necessary step toward recovery.
Coming to Believe and Trust God
For me, the transition into Step Two, or coming to believe, was complete when I realized the obsession to drink had been removed. At that moment, I moved from “I think God exists” to “I trust God.” Because of that shift, I became ready for Step Three, my knowledge of God moved from my head to heart.
Reflection: Where am I still relying on reason when God may be asking me to step forward in faith and trust Him?
For more articles like this, search: Spiritual Tools in Recovery
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