We admitted complete defeat; we put our absolute trust in God; we made a decision for our thought process to be propelled by the will of God and not by our human instinct; we asked God to remove anything and everything objectionable from us; we made our amends; we learned through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and through our life experiences that we must pray and meditate daily. Now, through the grace of God, we are living in this moment in His will and are the very living example of the power of the program of AA. This has and will occur for all of us in whom the Spirit has been awakened. Once the Spirit has been awakened we are then given the power to help others, not only through our words but more importantly, through our behavior. We are acutely aware that in our quest to help others we cannot possibly give away that which we don't have.
As a result of integrating into our lives the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, we are given the power to help others. It is a wondrous event to see others live AN AWAKENED LIFE. We experience a fulfillment in our own lives as we watch them recover into loving and giving human beings.
Written by Armand
For me it is extremely important to understand both the full meaning and the fullness of an awakened life. In its fullness, it has complemented and completed my reason for being. As an alcoholic, I existed on a strictly selfish, self-centered plane. All my thoughts and actions were propelled by my selfish mind towards my selfish wants. I was incapable of worthwhile living as I was imprisoned in meism. Meism was the stem cell for my alcoholism. What occurred is simple to understand but not easy to achieve. I surrendered my drinking to the fellowship of AA, and over time, I surrendered my life to the Program of Recovery laid out in The Big Book and The Step Book. In that process, I began to take the action necessary to locate The Power Within me and to feel That Presence "in this moment." Yes, my thought propulsion was transferred to soul propulsion and I was awakened. In simply sharing and ultimately giving away all that I have or am, I believe I now live an awakened life. I now comprehend the word serenity and I know peace. It is true that the more I grow the more I am. And I grow the intended way by giving myself away. From incomprehensible demoralization to an awakened life - available to me and to all.
ReplyDeleteMichael an alcoholic cannot possibly live in the will of God without helping others in and out of the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. In order to help in the way that is necessary to be recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body the spirit of God would need to be Awakened in them. Once living an Awakened Life the alcoholic can and must give that life away in a selfless effort...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteThis comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteAs I've written before, the discovery that I no longer fear the loss of the life once lived, now cast, like so much refuse into the pail of sinful actions forgiven and forgotten, is due to the direct intervention of the Creator of all who is and was and evermore will be.... It was He alone, who had been walking beside me, even during the most depraved events of my prodigal journey. It was He alone, who initiated this inexplicable shift in paradigm. It is He Alone, who continues to remind me that my animal appetites need no longer be sated. It is He alone, who has caused my fleshly desires to loose their allure. It is He alone, who has caused this obsession for all things harmful to be removed. And, it is He alone, who has placed within me a steadily growing all consuming fire and unquenchable desire to drink at the Masters well with frequent visits to the mercy seat of the One who refines in the fire of His love.
It is a miracle... For no other word is sufficient to describe this unspeakably holy and undeserved gift, entirely unwrapped by His hand and placed in the hearts of all who receive Him in the freedom and joy of His Presence. None of this has directly occurred as a result of anything I brought to the table. In fact, it occurred despite what I brought in my previously destitute stupefied state.
My spirit has not so much been awakened but revived, for I was in every way a pile of bleached and brittle bones scattered in an endless desert, only to be revived by His Holy Spirit who now resides within me. It was only then that I discovered that the One who pursues with a love beyond telling and a determination that never wavers, came for one purpose, "To seek and to save those who are lost."
In the 29 years I've been in the program I've witnessed many "movements" attempt to nip at the pages of the 12 Steps of AA. All are based on some form of mere human pedagogy that seeks to place the student on the Throne and the Teacher at their feet. All in order to avoid the simple program directly taken from the greatest story ever told, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I too was one such as this until every last vestige of self worship and pride finally brought me to my knees before the One true and Eternal Provider of true love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
His prayer, as always, is that all who hunger and thirst will find Him. He loves us all just the way we are and waits patiently at the door of our heart. He's as close as the mention of His name. Jesus, The Consolation Of Israel, The Desire of All Nations, The Author And Finisher Of Our Faith, The Alpha And Omega, The Lamb Who Was Slain, The Lion Who Reigns, The Anointed One, The Bread Of Life, The Everlasting Father, The Cornerstone, The Capstone, The Holy One, The King Of Kings, Lord Of Lords, The Christ!
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic alcohol is but a symptom of the true malady. The true malady is self centered fear, afraid that we won't get what we want , afraid that we will lose what we have. The solution delivered by the 12 Steps of AA is a vital spiritual experience - I must give live to my relationship with God. This is done by living in the will of God. We receive God's will through inspiration. Inspiration is defined as the thoughts of God implanted in the mind and soul of man. This is the miracle that you speak of. That through God's grace our thought process is surrendered and that same thought process is now inspired with the will of God...Thank you...Armand
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