You know, it’s taken me a while to realize this, but I can honestly say now: nothing in this third dimension we see is exactly what we think it is. I used to believe if I came in with pure motives, I could help everyone around me. But I had to learn the hard way that, sometimes, even my best intentions could have unintended effects. It’s like in another universe, my ‘help’ could actually turn into something hurtful. It’s a humbling lesson. And that’s when I realized, maybe my ancestors really were on to something with that old Bible, passing down a rule book to help us through these hidden layers of life.

In Romans 7:15, Paul says, ‘For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.’ That really hit home for me. I saw that I could have the purest intentions in my heart, yet my actions might fall short or even lead others astray. In the Big Book, we read something that speaks to this struggle: ‘The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent’ (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 1). It’s a reminder that no matter how good we try to be, there are forces and habits beyond our control without the right guidance and support.

As Paul put it in Ephesians 6:12, we are ‘wrestling not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world.’ For me, that battle was more than just staying on the right path; it meant realizing there are forces and influences at play beyond what I could see. The Big Book also warns us, ‘Our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot’ (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 5). That line stuck with me because I was that person – I let my own self-will run my life for so long, thinking I could fix everything on my own.

What changed? Well, I had to get honest about my limits. Proverbs 3:5-6 taught me to ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.’ I realized that leaning on my own understanding often led me to trouble. And the Big Book echoed this with a call for humility, urging us to admit that we ‘were alcoholic and could not manage [our] own lives’ (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 5). I started seeing the Bible as more than just a book – it was a guide for living in these unpredictable, unseen layers of reality. It showed me that I needed something greater than my own willpower.

So now, I’m sharing this with you because I don’t want you to struggle the way I did. When you feel like nothing you do makes sense, or that you’re constantly falling short, remember that humility and seeking guidance can be your strongest tools. When you let go of self-will and lean into a power greater than yourself, you’ll find that life starts to align in ways you never expected. As the Big Book says, ‘We were reborn’ (Alcoholics Anonymous, Chapter 5). I may not understand everything in this life, but with that guidebook, I have a new chance every day to find purpose and peace.