When I first walked through the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous I
had no idea what to expect. Though quickly I was able to see what worked in
others - a belief in and dependence upon God. As Bill once said "Would I have it? Of course I would."The Sixth Step of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous is "We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character." We learn through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous that alcohol is but a symptom of our true malady, our true malady is in fact self-centered fear. We are afraid we are not going to get what we want, afraid that we are going to lose what we have. Once our fears are triggered we reach for our character defects in an attempt to satiate our human instincts. The dictionary defines defect as, "the lack of something necessary for completion or perfection."
We learn in the Fourth Step of the program that it is necessary to find out what it is about us that keeps the Grace of God from our lives. It is in doing this that we discover the exact nature of our wrongs, as we make the list of our defects. In the Fifth Step of the program we confess our character defects. Then, in the Sixth Step, we are entirely ready and willing to have these defects removed.
It is our character defects that keep us from the perfection of God - from becoming the human being God created each of us to be and not the self-centered people who care only for their human desires and what they think they need in life. A person who is willing to use almost any means necessary to fulfill their desires is sick.
With all of our human flaws we can become the being God created us to be when we turn from our human nature and surrender to His will.
Written by Armand
Edited by Caitlin Alexandra
Somehow I became the man I'm not. I'll never find the cause but I lived in the effect for many years. When I found alcohol, the effect was essentially the same, except that I became a full-time drunkard. That state of being prevented me from growing or knowing anything about myself or my life. Except for fear. I lived my life on the floor and ultimately fell lower. From that ignominious place I prayed a prayer. AA was the immediate answer to that prayer. A belief and trust in The Power Within me was only possible by locating that Power. The Twelve Steps paved the way, each and every step of the way. The Steps led me to me, to deep down within me. It was there that I began to feel and know The Power who created the being I was created to be. This is the Gift of a new life!
ReplyDeleteMichael When one lives in the will of God, one has perfected their nature and become the human being God created them to be. This is perfection...Thank you...Armand
DeleteConsidering the definition of "defect", I lack many things that can keep me from being complete - "complete" in the sense of the connection to and reliance upon God. I must confess to and hand over possession of what sustains my illness to a power bigger than myself, bigger than any intellectually conceived entity. In what is only through my own experience I have learned what it is to feel and know such an utmost power capable of carrying such devastations - but only if I loosen my grasp on them for Him to take. As long as I hold onto them, my inadequacies only keep the distraught fire of my sickness aflame. When I let go of the disdained and self-willed behaviors the heat of the fire cools as His touch comes within my grasp. I must remain in that aura of Him and now for if I am to live in the mode of my human will, I am only fooling myself that that is truthfully living. Being in such a state of disillusionment is not living at all, but only taking up space with my polluted vibes. Bound in togetherness with God though, that is life everlasting - where I sense God may have created me and where He wants me to take up home.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin as you wrote "...for if I am to live in the mode of my human will, I am only fooling myself that that is truthfully living. Being in such a state of disillusionment is not living at all..." Our character defects at some level will always exist in our human nature but if we abandon our nature and live in the will of God those same defects will have no power over our emotional state or over our behavior...Thank you so much...Armand
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