The Sixth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous is "were entirely ready to
have God remove all these defects of character." The original draft
used the word "willing" instead of entirely ready. I found it helpful
to incorporate both in my Sixth Step so that I have the willingness to
be entirely ready.
As an alcoholic it is
difficult for me to give up control, as I want to apply some sort of
cognitive therapy or behavioral modification in an effort to control my
defects. For me this is like applying a band aid to a festering
infection. Control of our defects is not the issue but rather that
these human defects are not to exist in our behavior, as it is our
defects that are keeping us from the perfection that God seeks in us
which is to be the human being that God created us to be, thereby
maximizing our human potential.
When we are in
the will of God our human character defects which exist in our nature
cannot possibly manifest themselves in our behavior.
Yes I am willing to be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Websters dictionary defines entirely as wholely or completely. After we take the 5th step of Alcoholics Anonymous the Big Book directs us immediately to the 6th & 7th steps, in these steps we pray for Divine guidence . In the third step prayer we ask God to relieve us of the bondages of self. With this act , possibly for the first times in our lives we made a decision to allow God to make our decisions for us. We then take a thourogh inventory, admit our wrongs in the fifth step. Then we pray for the Grace of God to enter our lives, as we are now able to recognize God's Mighty Power. His forgiveness is evident as we already felt His Presence in these preceding steps. We are now convinced that we can let go absolutely ,
ReplyDeleteAnd let go compleatly and wholely of our human natures . We can let go and allow God to do for us what we were never able to do for ourselves .
Don just a complete comment, briefly stated encompassing Steps three through seven. Not much else to say my friend...Thanks...Armand
ReplyDeleteMy character defects do not exist as singular aspects of my life. That is not my human nature. In my human nature they eventually combine and act as one overwhelming force that, when I am spiritually unfit, can lead me back to a sip or a gulp, and then to oblivion. Thus, as you so convincingly articulate, I cannot live in my human nature for, at best, I will live precariously. In The Sixth Step, we have to trust that our defects which are brought to light in Step Four, will be replaced by something far stronger than defects. There are no real words for what those "replacement parts" really are. But it is a feeling I know when I feel it. It is a peace that is only possible in living God's will for my life. And that is only and entirely possible through incorporating The Twelve Steps into my life just as they were written.
ReplyDeleteMichael the transformation of thought that Dr. Silkworth writes of in the Dr.'s Opinion is essential and must occur if we are to live in the will of God free of the manifestation of our defects in our behavior...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteThis comment is from a grateful recovering alcoholic
ReplyDeleteArmand,
For this alcoholic, the Divinely inspired and instantaneous segue from step 5 into 6, described by the founders so many years ago, simply articulates the new state of being they found themselves to be in after having completed the previous steps and is a most apropos description of the result of the indwelling love, power and presence of the Holy Spirit of God, who lovingly compels us to continue this new "journey" into the limitless expanse of His Person. Enjoy the following gleaned from my book of daily devotions as authored by Lloyd John Ogilvie, which I humbly suggest to be a most apropos sixth / seventh step prayer to the God of my understanding..
"Lord Christ, when I experience Your fullness in my emptiness, I receive Your mind for my thoughts, Your nature for the formation of my character, Your Person for the shaping of my personality, Your will for the direction of my will and Your power for my discipleship. Each day as I yield my inner life to the formation of Your character in me I am able to face the struggles of my outer life.
Today I can face the three most troublesome struggles of life. First, thank You for helping me overcome the struggle with my human nature. When I admit the impossibility of changing myself with resolutions and self-improvement disciplines, You take control and perform the continuing miracle of making me like Yourself. Second, You free me from the struggle of being humanly adequate. I know I am insufficient for the demands of life, but I also know of Your all-sufficient adequacy. I can't imagine any problem You cannot help me to solve, any person You can't love through me, any challenge You can't give me strength to tackle. Third, I don't have to struggle with worries over what the future holds. I can relax. Whatever I face today will be an opportunity for new dimensions of Your character to be formed in me."
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
This comment is from Ira
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got Sober in 1988, and for many years thereafter until about 2004 or 2005, I continued to be entirely ready and was "in the will of God'. My life was fabulous. and as I've mentioned to you, after I married my wonderful 2nd Wife Hana, who was an extraordinary woman. I had 2 great kids, 3 wonderful grandchildren, an excellent business, great friends, a fabulous 2nd Wife, and good Sobriety. So- what did I do-- I stopped working the program and the steps which had brought me all of these wonderful things. and you know what happened. I stopped being entirely ready, and stopped living in God's Will for me ... and all of my character defects came roaring back. and you know what happened. so-- Am I Entirely ready?-- Absolutely-- 100%-- It doesn't get much worse than coming to federal prison to re-awaken someone to the ongoing power of addiction-- and I've been re-awakened and I'm entirely ready, and back living in God's Will, because if i don't all my character defects of greed, lust, dishonesty will come roaring back again. Yes, I am entirely ready for God to remove these defects of character.
"Admi