As I began the fourth step of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous I faced the four column inventory of my resentments, fears and sexual conduct. My sponsor suggested that I begin to pray for and forgive all of those on all of my lists. In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous there is a prayer for each of these lists - three prayers in total.The Eighth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous, "Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all," is yet another chance to pray for and forgive all those on all of my lists and to begin doing the same with any new situations that may arise. We are already in possession of an Eighth Step list - extracted from our Fourth Step inventory. As we begin to pray for and forgive we are also making a beginning on Steps Eleven and Twelve.
Prayer and forgiveness are essential tools if we are to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body We learned in the Fourth Step that resentments toward others is the number one offender to a relationship with God, as we are called to love all, although we are never to be accepting of evil.
The Eighth Step provides for us ANOTHER CHANCE TO PRAY FOR AND TO FORGIVE all those on our lists. This is necessary in order to bring the Spirit into our Ninth Step amends.
Written by Armand
Edited by Caitlin Alexandra
Prayer and forgiveness are positive actions which provide real benefit for all involved. In my experience, and in the final analysis, the chief beneficiary of this Step has been me. Step Eight in its proper sequential context has enabled me to let go of the weight of the past. For an alcoholic to hang on to resentments and revilements is to obfuscate the pure beauty of freedom, which is the ultimate prize of recovery. In The Fifth Step, I was able to rid myself of the shame and guilt of my past life, and to pave the way for healthy and meaningful relationships in my present life. In painstakingly taking Step Eight, I begin to understand The Promise of a clean pattern of living rather than the purposeless existence I was enduring. That, to me, spells the difference between a selfish past and a self-ish recovery. I had to let go of me to find me. Prayer and forgiveness are the chief activators of thiat transformation.
ReplyDeleteMichael anger and resentment cannot be manifested in a spirit of forgiveness...Thank you...Armand
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