The basis of all twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is humility, the spirit of
which is necessary as our egos must be deflated. Admitting to our innermost self that we are alcoholic, learning to trust
in God and making a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the
care of God are all steps on the road to humility. In the Fourth
Step, identifying who we are and acceptance of what that means is ego
deflating and humbling. But for me, the biggest step in accepting
humility, but not the last, was the Fifth Step - in which I shared my
Fourth Step list, the deepest darkest side of myself, with myself, God
and another human being.
In the Seventh Step we offer all of
ourselves, the good and the bad, to God to do with us as He would have
us do so that our human character defects do not manifest themselves
in our behavior. Another step in humility occurs as we go out and make
our amends, reconciling the wrongs we have done in the past. And finally in the Eleventh Step, where a recovered alcoholic resides, praying only for the knowledge of God's will for us and the power to
carry that out, can only be performed with a humble spirit.
It is humility which unlocks the door to the grace of God. Only through a humbled spirit may we recover from a seemingly hopeless
state of mind and body. Humility is absolutely necessary.
In the 7th step of Alcoholics Anonymous we ask God to Humbly remove all of our shortcomings . In the vast glory of the beginning and end of all.
ReplyDeleteIn all of God's Omnipotence, with the impotence of my frail and weak existence , how dare I even attempt to approach him! Full of sin, my own self seeking behaviors. The process of the first six steps with all the honesty that comes with complete defeat, when unconditional surrender is accepted, acknowledging that it is understood. That it is through the Light Of the World that true humility is reached. I am but a servant , who has truely forgiven all whom I have resented, feared, & offended. Cleansed through the ultimate sacrifice that was freely given to me through His sacrifice I may now stand to be forgiven by Him. Who is all forgiving.
If at that moment I am entirely ready to receive His grace I may humbly ask to have my shortcomings be removed !
Don I have heard it said "if you think your humble, your not." That is probably true but one can know if they are humble if their human defects are not manifested in their behavior. The will of God although sometimes difficult to obey is a truly joyful life. Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteWhen my ego is inflated, all I can see and how I perceive that which I see is narrowly limited by my obsession of self. I cannot see the bigger picture when my own ego blocks my true God-given will. This means that although I am a life-form, that life is being lived in very a lonely, self-destructed place - almost as though I am a seed, blessed to have been planted and to exist, but my ignorance to take in light and saturate water keeps me from burgeoning. My own self-importance takes priority over everything and I know that when I have lingered in such iniquity I have nothing to live off of, and more importantly, nothing to give. When prayer and meditation, trust and love for God, and humility avail I see beyond myself... the Universe appears. This is the vision I seek each day - one beyond the limits of my own gray matter that is forever filled with hope and strength. With such divine instruments I take the steps of the program in such an unselfish way as they can be most revealing and most fruitful.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin Great line "This means that although I am a life form, that life is being lived in a lonely self structured place - almost as though I am a seed, blessed to have been planted and to exist, but my ignorance to take in light and saturate water keeps me from burgeoning." In the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous many are grateful for AA and are exposed to the 12 Steps but the inflated ego will not allow the transformation of thought which must occur, to occur. A complete surrender of the human nature to the will of God through the integration of the program will occur once we admit to our innermost self " can't, He can."...Thank you...Armand
Deletecorrection "I can't, He can."
DeleteHumility is the necessary context in which my recovery must exist. Lack of humility served that role in my actively alcoholic and step-less prior life. I had to learn to humble myself not just regarding my devastating weakness bit all of its consequences as well. The mountain of no-more-booze was climbed long before I truly knew the molehills of my ongoing unhappiness, due to not having cleaned house completely. A knowing, giving Big Book sponsor pointed me on the only direction that could relieve my ego of its burdensome weight - incorporating The Twelve Steps of AA into my daily life. Accepting and activating these Steps inured me with a quiet acceptance of my own limitations and a complete trust in The Power Within me. For me, that amounts to an awakened and grateful life.
ReplyDeleteMichael A life in AA alcohol free but lived with no practice of the actual program of AA is a life that never captures the peace and joy that is available to all through a life lived in humility to the consciousness of God...Thanks...Armand
ReplyDelete