The 12th Step of Alcoholics Anonymous is, "Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs." This step clearly places a responsibility upon us - but we cannot give away that which we don't have. The "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous states, "We have recovered and been given the power to help others." The power to help others is a direct result of the spiritual awakening received in Step Twelve. Until one such spiritual awakening has occurred it is impossible for it to occur in other alcoholics that we may be helping. Furthermore, once the Spirit has been awakened within us we cannot be in the will of God without helping others.
We are gifted the power to carry the message to other alcoholics not only through our words but by incorporating the principles of the Alcoholics Anonymous program (the Twelve Steps) right into our lives, displaying them through our behavior. Once the spirit has been awakened in those we help then they themselves can lead a recovered life. These recovered alcoholics will then have the power to help others in the way necessary, so that still others may recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Your gift can be a gift to others.
Written by Armand
Edited by Caitlin Alexandra
This is re-gifting in the ultimate context. Yes, recovery is a free gift which amounts to a new level of consciousness and being. But many alcoholics, even many in the fellowship, never fully unwrap the gift and, therefore, never fully receive its benefits. I know this from my own prior experience in AA. Precisely as the 12th Steps states, my spiritual awakening was directly contingent upon incorporating all Twelve Steps into my non-drinking life. In that process, I found both me and The Power Within me, the greatest Gift I have ever known. The frustration of not being able to give myself away has been replaced by the certain love of The Power Within and the limitless spiritual energy that Power provides. The Gift and The Giver of the Gift are one and the same.
ReplyDeleteMichael how true when you wrote "the limitless spiritual energy that Power provides." we are given the resources necessary to help as many people that God sends us...Thank you...Armand
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