In The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions it is written: "A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means, are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism. For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to ADMIT and ACCEPT what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.
Through daily inventory we can admit and accept that our character defects are a part of our human nature, a part that cannot manifest if we are truly living in the will of God. We are completely capable of understanding, if the proper work on the 12 steps is thoroughly done, that our human nature is in fact defected. We must accept this about ourselves if we desire to be recovered.
In the program of Alcoholics Anonymous it is often said, "Let go and let God." The "Let go" part is turning from the incessant prompts of our human nature and the "Let God" part is living in, and thereby manifesting, the will of God. Living in the raw-natured will of God, our character defects cannot be manifested in our behavior - it is in such a spiritual place that our nature can be perfected as we become the human being that God created us to be.
Self-survey is a most powerful tool of recovery.
Thanks for writing this post, Armand. Do you have a post on fear and how to stop feeling so fearful?
ReplyDeleteNoreen You are welcome and welcome to the blog. Yes The Healing of fear posted on August 7th. Scroll down on your right to access...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteThe Big Book reminds me that I was willing to go to any length to have a spiritual experience. Not just to get sober, or even stay sober but to have a spiritual experience as a sober man. Until I admit the defects of my human nature and accept that I must let go of the worst parts of me in order to find the best parts of me, I can still suffer from the untreated part of me. Self-searching is the means by which we can shine a light on the dark and negative sides of our nature. For me, self-searching was meaningless until I incorporated The Steps into my life until they became my way of life. Through that process, I found The Power Within me to guide me through my humanity to the deepest part of me - my spirit. My next function is to continue to grow in understanding and effectiveness..And to do so by giving myself away.
ReplyDeleteMichael Your comment reminds me of the purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous which is to help Alcoholics and all those associated with the Alcoholic to find a Spiritual experience...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThis Comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDelete"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 I find this simple prayer is the key that opens the floodgates of grace contained within Step 10 and 11. I thank my gracious Father for showing me that the heart of the matter is always the heart. He has opened His heart and Spirit to me and blessed me with grace, lovingkindness and tender mercy beyond telling.
And now as I deeply contemplate all that He has done, in grateful response I can evermore unreservedly offer my heart to Him, in a renewed commitment to care about what concerns Him so that His love might overflow from me into the lives of others. It is His eternal blessing; now gratefully experienced, moment by moment, one day at a time, every day of my life, until I met my loving Savior and Lord, face to face. To that miraculous journey I say, Amen...
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic just love when you wrote " His love might overflow from me into the lives of others." A surrendered Alcoholic is capable of being a vessel of God's love for the benefit of others...Thank you so much...Armand
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