Pages 85 to 88 in the Big Book pretty much covers this 24-hour plan—
“We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. …What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. …On awakening, let us think about the 24 hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. …as we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action… humbly saying to ourselves many times each day… When we retire at night, we constructively review our day.”
Some people call it: Living One Day At A Time (beware, for those who HISS at the dropping of the name Jesus, this term does have references to Christianity: “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus”). But the 24-hour plan is NOT really about watching the clock and hoping to ‘make it from noon to midnight and midnight to noon’ without popping the cork so I can say “I’m a winner because I didn’t drink today!” That kind of sobriety is hanging on by your fingernails (white-knuckling it)—or for non-alcoholics who can just CHOOSE not to drink for that day.
Hanging on each day IS often necessary for the alcoholic who has not yet thoroughly worked on Steps One through Nine or for the poor person who’s sponsor tells them ‘take your time; go to meetings and you’ll be FINE.’ And for newcomers, the 24-Hour Plan, if you choose NOT to take the 12 Steps, IS to white-knuckle, or be baby-sat, through each 24 hours without drinking. (Since real alcoholics have lost the power of choice in drink, this is the ONLY way to get through those 24 hours.)
I couldn’t find instructions in our textbook that I have to beseech God each day to PLEASE keep me sober/abstinent. Other people seem to have read something in the Big Book that they should be doing this on a daily basis. Let me know the pages, please.
MY 24-HOUR PLAN
I learn from yesterday’s experiences and my personal inventory of them. I don’t continue to dwell on past mistakes—after all, God has forgiven me.
I prepare for tomorrow by doing footwork, setting priorities, and planning appointments.
I LIVE IN TODAY. (pgs 86-88) I start with Quiet Time and ‘ask God to direct my thinking.’ I listen for guidance and try to stay spiritually awake and aware of what’s going on around me. I take care of my responsibilities. As I ‘go through the day I pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask God for the right thought or action.’ …humbly say to myself many times each day ‘They will be done.’ When I ‘retire at night I constructively review my day’ (because I continue to fall short).
But with daily maintenance of my spiritual condition I don’t have to ‘white-knuckle’ sobriety. Does it now make sense why the founders took their prospect through the whole process in a few days or even hours? …so they wouldn’t have to beg to stay sober another 24 hours and stay stuck in their crazy, alcoholic thinking–day after day after day.
