Another way to look at this is as if God is the light and my human defects are a clouded glass which no light can shine through. As I begin to incorporate the program of AA into my life and begin to develop a relationship with God, some of the glass clears and some of the light shines through. As I continue to incorporate the Twelve Steps into my life, the glass clears even more and even more of the light shines through. Finally, the day arrives when the glass is transparent and all of the light shines through and it is in this moment that I am one with God and free of the manifestation of my character defects.
Incorporate the Tenth Step into your daily existence and, eventually, into all your waking moments. We must be persistent. Persistence is the time between the promise of God and the provision of God. Thereafter, a life free of anxiety, fear and resentment can be experienced; cloaked in harmony, peace and serenity.
Written by Armand
Edited by Caitlin Alexandra
The Big Book tells us that Step Ten is our entry into the World of The Spirit. And that our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. It is then pointed out that this is not an overnight matter. For me, a lot of work had to be done and a lot of action taken before I was ready to enter the spiritual realm. And, yes, it does require persistence as my human nature continues to exist regardless of my spiritual awareness and growth. That is what makes living in Recovery so wonderful. Step Ten provides a daily opportunity to further enliven my spirit through personal contact with The Power Within me. This means that the balance of power in my life has swung from the limitations of my self-driven humanity to the limitless love and care of The Power Within me. There is no question that my effectiveness is the direct effect of that Power.
ReplyDeleteMichael as we see the manifestation of our character defects in our behavior, even though we don't want this, enlightens us on the depth of the surrender necessary for this not to occur. Inventory, a face to face look at ourselves, helps us to see how powerless we are over our human nature and eventually leads us to a place where the surrender is absolute. This must occur for an alcoholic to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body...Thank you...Armand
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ReplyDeleteThis battered neglected hallway or cloudy glass are often hidden inside a house with a "perfect" veneer. We often hear "it's an inside job" as a gentle reminder of spiritualities' central place in recovering. Honesty, openness and humility in 10th step work allow the grace of God to enter our experience and create beautiful lighting in the hallway.
ReplyDeleteSpiritual Being no one comes to AA on a winning streak. Some of us have to be pretty battered before we do. A daily inventory can help us surface our defects exhibited in each day and then using whatever other steps are needed we are able to live in the present in the will of God free of any shame or guilt...Thank you...Armand
DeleteI was and maybe still am pretty beaten up, true. Not sure if any of the defects are gone.
ReplyDeleteDo the defects ever go away?
DeleteSpiritual Being It isn't that our character defects go away and without the proper building blocks it is difficult to articulate but I will briefly try.
DeleteThe purpose of the Twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is for our thought process to no longer be propelled by our human instinct but rather by the will of God. When this occurs, even though our character defects still exist in our human nature in the will of God they have no power over our emotion or our behavior as our thought process is now being propelled by the will of God. When that occurs we are manifesting all the qualities of god in our behavior.
Don't know if you are an alcoholic or an addict but have you ever read the Big Book and worked through the Steps with someone who has?
Happy that you continue to comment...Armand
I feel the pangs of my yesterdays in my blood each day. The Twelve and Twelve describes this as the "emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday's negative emotions." Part of my fear in ridding these emotions from my lifelong accumulation of such negativity is that I will be ridding of what has always been a part of me - who will I be without all the baggage? I will have to be me, and that is what I fear most. The ingestion of so many pills and abundant use of alcohol I may not have begun because it made me feel like I could escape myself but it was a factor, and a huge one, in why I carried on with it with such fervency. Being myself and being who God intended me to be can come to fruition once I clear my glass of the fog, I just have to let go of the mist I have become a part of.
ReplyDeleteSince integrating the true program of Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 steps, into my life I have begun fixing the dilapidated hallway my
disease of self-centered fear and non-existent self worth let fall apart. I don't do it alone, I do it while in the hands of God. Sometimes I fail to keep up with the work and my cord with Him weakens, but through each step it has been made easier to look at the mess, admit to it, and mend it. If I leave a mess behind me I leave God there too, and the work never ends. If I can mend the blemishes of past then I can disinfect as I go, and that is called "living in the day".
Caitlin just love the idea of "disinfect as I go," The program of Alcoholics Anonymous has in place the apparatus necessary so that can be accomplished...Thanks...Armand
ReplyDeleteFROM MARK:
ReplyDeleteI appreciate these thoughts on the 10th step. I recently put my sponsee up to some 10th step work. I also put myself up to some new step work because, as you know, I cannot transmit something I haven't got.
The context you provide for the word persistence really got me thinking.
I am at a crossroads now (one I've been at for a while) between persistence and vigilance.
Vigilance of course is important to my recovery. But vigilance alone keeps me reactive. I make amends for bad behavior rather than stopping the action beforehand. I think persistence is a great word to use because it requires pro-action.
Yours in recovery,
Mark
Mark, Welcome.
DeletePersistence is key to becoming recovered. Once recovered, our human nature and all of it's defects will not be manifested as living in the will of God brings truth to, "Thy will, not mine, be done." Pray to let the reactive part of your nature go and you will receive the knowledge to carry out His will.
Gratitude for your comments and encouragement to continue doing so...