Bob D. AA Male Disk #1Bob D. AA Male Disk #1
Recovery Radio Network
AA speaker Bob D talks about his struggle with powerlessness, resistance to God, and how working the Twelve Steps changed his understanding of faith. The episode focuses on moving from fear and self-centredness towards conscious contact with a higher power through action and service.
1:18:36•6 Jul 2026
Bob D on God Resistance, Powerlessness and Finding a Way Through AA
Episode Overview
- Alcoholism is defined by inability to quit entirely and loss of control once drinking starts.
- The core problem described is lack of power, not lack of religion or faith.
- Progress begins by laying aside old prejudices about God and expressing a simple willingness to believe.
- Faith becomes real through actions such as prayer, following AA directions, and helping other alcoholics.
- Self-centredness is presented as the root trouble, and consistent service is key to being "relieved of the bondage of self."
“"Lack of power, that was our dilemma. We had to find a power by which we could live."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? In this talk from Recovery Radio Network, AA speaker Bob D shares his experience as "a God-resistant guy" who struggled for years with the idea that only a spiritual experience could conquer his alcoholism. He walks through how the Big Book’s description of alcoholism finally matched his own drinking: "Every time I start to drink, I can't get enough.
And if you can't get enough, you're always going to have too much." You’ll hear Bob describe early AA meetings where he felt completely different from the "do-gooders" in the room, until one outlaw biker from prison told a story that made Bob think, "Oh my God. This guy's like me." That moment of identification opened the door, but his resistance to God slammed it shut again for years.
He talks candidly about childhood messages that painted God as a harsh judge, how that fed his fear and atheistic arguments, and how page 45’s line "lack of power, that was our dilemma" reframed his problem. The episode focuses heavily on Step Two and Step Three, with Bob unpacking what it means to lay aside prejudice about God and to act "as if" there might be a power that cares.
Through vivid analogies – like being stranded in the desert with a map to a lake, or sitting in an invisible boat rowed by Bill and Dr Bob – he shows how faith becomes "conscious contact" through action, especially service to other alcoholics. Bob’s style is raw, funny, and self-deprecating, making heavy spiritual ideas feel very down-to-earth.
He admits he didn’t understand the Third Step prayer at first, but describes how life upheavals that followed were part of being "relieved of the bondage of self." If you’re wrestling with the God bit of AA, or feel stuck after getting physically sober, this talk might give you something real to think about. Where might a "lack of power" still be running your life?
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