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
My self-will was all I knew. A premium was always placed on achievement, attainment and aggrandizement. Good character was taken for granted; not the end but a complementary part of the means. Good intentions were present but self-centeredness ruled the roost. Enough was never enough. Deep down, however, I knew this was a peripheral way of living at best, a self-destructive force at worst. Alcohol took care of that internal conflict. I drank more, and then I drank more. AA gave me the first-ever sense that there was something greater in me. Something more inherent, more natural, more me. Through incorporating The Twelve Steps into my life, I was moved deeper within where I found the power I was looking for in alcohol but could never find. I was touched by This Power Within me, and I felt its love and care, first gradually then fully. I know today that the model is perfection and that the modality is in praying only for His will for me and the power to carry it out. For me, there is no other way.
ReplyDeleteMichael For an alcoholic to transform from a self centered human being to one praying only for the knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out is the result, as you say, "through incorporating the Twelve Steps into our lives."...Thank you...Armand
DeletePsalm 86 speaks of a good, merciful, reliable and forgiving God - one that is worthy of trust. Carl Jung in letters to Bill W suggested belief in power greater than oneself, a universal Good, was necessary for health in otherwise seemingly threatening world. (See books"Language of the Heart") One obstacle to fully reflecting God's image is a sense of "not being enough" (shame). Such false beliefs keep Gods healing love from experience. This false understanding of oneself is first on list of beliefs to give to God for transformation. The spiritual person is made in God's image and reflect this light. Acts of real kindness toward others and oneself oneself are the Spirit of the AA program. (Without loving kindness and God's grace and light just picking on oneself for defects is futile)
ReplyDeleteRef: google "Bill W. Carl Jung" letters and refer to book Language of the Heart. What appears to be actual copy of letter can be found at barefootsworld.net/Jungletter.html.
ReplyDeleteSpiritual Being we can work on, recognize apply cognitive therapy and behavioral modification to our character defects until the cows come home but all we are doing is applying a band aid to a festering sore. Our character defects are part of our human nature and as such, although they maybe muted at some level, will always exist there however by integrating the Twelve Steps into our life in such a way that they become our life, than no longer will our thought process be propelled by our human instinct but rather by the will of God. In the will of God our character defects cannot be manifested in our in our behavior. This is the essence of "let go and let God."..Thank you so much...Armand
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