God, As We Understand Him (The Daily Trudge)God, As We Understand Him (The Daily Trudge)
RAW Recovery Podcast
Dion talks frankly about the phrase “God, as we understood Him” in AA, mixing humour, personal stories and strong opinions on spirituality in recovery. The episode focuses on willingness, individual concepts of a higher power, and removing religious stigma from the recovery journey.
37:18•5 Jun 2026
God, As We Understand Him: Rethinking Higher Power in RAW Recovery
Episode Overview
- AA’s phrase “God, as we understood Him” is meant to remove barriers, allowing each person to form their own idea of a higher power.
- Willingness is more important than perfect belief; being open to “something better” is enough to start.
- Many people reject God because of old ideas or church hurt, not because of their current experience in recovery.
- Human beings, including sponsors or partners, are not ideal higher powers; recovery asks for something greater than oneself.
- Spiritual growth often comes from everyday moments, fellowship, and service, rather than dramatic religious experiences.
“Recovery begins when we're willing to believe that maybe we're not the highest power in the universe.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This RAW Recovery episode heads straight into one of AA’s most argued-over phrases: “God, as we understood Him.” Dion keeps things funny, blunt, and very human while unpacking what that line from Step Three actually means for people who struggle with the idea of God. You’ll hear him vent about a training exam that labelled AA as “religious” and why that kind of stigma still winds him up.
From there, he moves into a heartfelt reflection on how AA’s founders, and figures like Dr Jung, shaped the idea of a personal higher power rather than a one-size-fits-all deity. As he puts it, AA “doesn’t ask us to understand God perfectly. It just asks us to be willing to seek something better.” The episode blends banter about cats, grandkids, and microphones with serious talk about church hurt, religious baggage, and the difference between hating people and hating behaviour.
Dion shares his own early experiences with AA, including a powerful story about being 18, homeless, and feeling answered by a higher power in the form of a halfway house and a 5.30 meeting. This one’s especially useful if you or someone you care about gets stuck on Step Three or bristles at the word “God”.
Dion keeps hammering home that your higher power doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s – at first it might even be hope, a home group, or a scruffy cat. If you’re wrestling with spiritual language in recovery, this honest, sweary, and surprisingly warm talk might help you breathe a bit easier and ask yourself: what if my idea of God could actually change over time?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.