In the book Alcoholics Anonymous Comes Of Age, in the historic visit to Bill W. from his boarding school pal Ebby T. (a man nearly committed for alcoholic insanity), Ebby outlined the precepts of the Oxford Group. One of the precepts applies to this notion of humility. Practicing the giving of oneself to another is a true act of humility. Ebby told Bill W. to practice giving, as in, the giving of himself to somebody.
Personally I have learned that it is true humility which unlocks the door to the grace of God. In order to grow in humility I must begin to let go of my selfish desires and begin to have a faith in God. This eventually blossoms into a complete trust in God. Trust in God was difficult initially, as through the entire course of my life I had used my instincts and my intellect to propel me through. But, when I was faced with a self-imposed crisis that I could not overcome with my human power, I had to rely on a higher power.
As the Big Book states, "We trust in infinite God rather than finite self." Today, in this day and in this time, I trust in God. The development of this trust in God leads to a caring of others that was impossible for me before. An alcoholic who is humble enough to trust in God knows that the GIVING of self to the helping of others is a crucial tool of recovery.
Written by Armand
In the program of recovery suggested and clearly outlined in The Big Book, l learned that giving is actually receiving. But I must have something to give. That something comes in the form of a new person, displacing the fear-based, false-prideful, self-loathing disgrace that was called me. It wasn't only booze that discolored my personality and altered my life for the worse. Alcohol was simply a symptom of my real problem. My real problem was my opinion of myself as rendered by my thinking, my will, and my subsequent behavior. Humility was a joke to be expressed through cynicism, finger-pointing and negativity. I had nothing to give and, therefore, nothing to receive. That was my life - before AA. Today, I am absolutely certain that my greatest gift is in giving myself to others who felt just as I did, and used alcohol to escape the dread of themselves. The difference? The presence of The Power Within me as the direct result of incorporating The Twelve Steps into my life until they became my life. A life worth living, a life worth giving. Simple but not easy. I had to abandon myself to find myself to give myself to receive myself. Powerlessness and its admission led me to The Power Within. That Power remains powerful by being given entirely away.
ReplyDeleteMichel "a life worth living, a life worth giving." That life is an expression of the life now lived in the consciousness and awareness of God. We, recovered alcoholics of Alcoholics Anonymous, become the vessel of receiving and giving through the freely given grace of God bestowed upon us through the integration of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThis Coment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteArmand,
Nothing cuts us off from the incredible plans The Master has for us like self centeredness. It is an insidious and relentless thief of every joy that has been promised and contained in Gods ultimate will for us. For it is written, Isaiah 14: 12-14 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also on the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Consider the implication of his statement, "I will be like the Most High," not above but like. It has a deceptively implied legitimacy for he isn't claiming supremacy but peerage or a position equal to the Creator and Sustainer of all things seen and unseen. It is rooted solely in pride. "Cunning, powerful and deadly." It's ultimate destination is desolation. All are susceptible to this seduction no matter how far along we are in our walk with God. The antidote to this spiritual sickness is a life manifest in repentance and sanctification rooted in Gods Word through the daily practice of the 12 Steps.
Today my prayer is to listen to the Lord's fear dispelling words to me. "Fear not, I am with you. I will never leave or forsake you. You are Mine for eternity. Seek to please only Me and you will have nothing and no one to fear. My love casts out fear. You don't have to worry about being inadequate ever again. I am your strength, wisdom and courage. Let go of your own control and humbly trust Me to guide you every step of the way. You don't need fear to manipulate people anymore. You are free to motivate them with My love, freely given that you may share and experience My joy in giving love to others through you."
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic An alcoholic healed of their selfcentered fear becomes the human being God created them to be. At St. Monica's grade school in South philly, as a little boy, I learned that I was created in the image and likeness of God. Healed of my alcoholic illness, which is dependant on my relationship with God in this moment, I know through my experience that I am made in the image and likeness of God...Thank you...Armand
DeleteHumility for me is about ego deflation 'at depth,' which is what I need to work the steps and in particular step 7 where I humbly ask him to remove my shortcomings. I know when I am being ego driven versus doing Gods will- it feels so different. When all else fails work with another alcoholic has saved me over and again from the self centered fear as Ebby did for Bill and Bill did for countless others it's the true spirit of the Program.
ReplyDeleteAnne when we manifest our character defects in our behavior than we know that our thought process is propelled by our human instinct rather than the will of God...Thank you...Armand
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