Having shared the Fifth Step with myself and another human being, having exhibited a sense of humility, having acquired a clarity of mind and a sense of peace I was encouraged and braced to complete the final piece of the Fifth Step - to admit to God the exact nature of my wrongs. I met my sponsor at a small chapel and felt in no way out of the ordinary until he swung open the doors. I looked down the center isle to the alter and became immediately aware of the quietness and the state of holiness that existed. I froze and swallowed hard, realizing that in the next few moments I was going to experience the most profound event of my entire life thus far. In that time, that place, and in that moment I was to seek the forgiveness of God for all I had done wrong in the past. Together, my sponsor and I slowly knelt down and he prayed in the way that only he can. When he was done praying, I shared the exact nature of my wrongs with God. I had completed the Fifth Step.
Since then I have participated in many Fifth Steps with alcoholics and addicts that I have read the Big Book with. It is altogether a very humbling experience to be a part of, making me feel most helpful as a human being and supplying a sense of wholeness to life. Recently I did a Fifth Step with someone and, as we were leaving the Church, he said "I know that for centuries people like you have helped people like me do exactly what we did today... but today was the day that I had the opportunity to participate in it".
Yes, it is a remarkable experience to feel the nearness of God and to share that with another. It is an experience that is not meant to be missed. It is a complete cleansing of the past and, in turn, receiving the gift of forgiveness and a clean slate of life - all built upon a new relationship with God.
To have two human beings involved and engaged in a Fifth Step exercise is a truly lightening, enlightening and mutually humbling occurrence. My experience is that my shame and guilt were exposed and removed through this process. I agree that the physical setting for the actual taking of Step 5 should be special, peaceful, memorable. In doing so, the awareness of the event will keep it alive, and will be replicated when the one being sponsored becomes the sponsor in future, and can re-experience this gift of sobriety. There is no question that this is a remarkably spiritual experience as The Power Within each of the participants is lovingly shared and united as two become one in the truest sense of the word. I have actually experienced the bond becoming stronger than the bondage which precipitated it. In actuality then, Three become One.
ReplyDeleteMichael amen...Thanks...Armand
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