Addicts in denial misuse AA concepts to rationalize continuance

The denial of the relapsed addict who knows concepts of AA and has lived them and walked others through the steps for years may sound like this:

"I cannot and do not choose this addiction. I am powerless here! If I could choose to get better I would, but I can't. I am waiting for God to pull me through in a moment of divine grace. Therefore, until God elects for me to become sober I am unable to do so because I am powerless over my addiction."

The rational and yet emotional person who loves and cares about this person who appears to be suffering from demonic possession (for it seems his soul is ensnared) cannot argue the point further. Indeed, it appears that if choice were possible, he/she would choose life over death, health over disease, love over grief. But in the world of addiction all cycles are flipped and actions are inside out.

So turn now to the mystic Rumi who understood this great paradox - choosing and total submission: both are true. Rumi wrote,

Every human choice bows like a slave in submission to the absolute's creative will, yet this does not deprive us of freedom or of taking responsibility for what we choose. (Masnavi, V, 3097-98)

God gives free will so that each and all may choose to submit to God. The Universe provides opportunities to receive this lesson (for example, the addict suffers extreme consequences). Some see they are powerless unless they choose to submit. Others do not see, or else they do not choose to submit. They continue to say, "If God wills" - but fail to see that God wills for us to submit out of choice, not out of design.