The basis of all 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is humility, the spirit of which is necessary in keeping our egos deflated. Admitting to our innermost self that we are alcoholic, learning to trust in God, and making a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God are all steps on the road to humility. In the Fourth Step, identifying who we are and acceptance of what that means is both ego-deflating and humbling. As for myself, the most paramount of steps in which I accepted humility was the 5th Step, during which I shared my 4th Step - the deepest, darkest side of myself - with myself, God and another human being.In the 7th Step we offer all of ourselves, the good and the bad, to God - to do with us as He would do so that our human character defects do not manifest themselves in our behavior. Another step in which humility occurs is the 9th Step,as we go out and make our amends, reconciling the wrongs we have done in the past. And finally the 11th Step, in which recovered alcoholics reside, praying only for the knowledge of God's will and the power to carry that out. All of these steps can only be performed and will only be successfully taken with a humbled spirit.
Humility unlocks the door to the Grace of God. Only through such a humbled spirit may we recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body - making humility absolutely necessary.
Written by Armand
ReplyDeleteThis is a prayer that I've been saying the last two years that has helped me totally expose my ego. Because I am alcoholic, I have no choice but to submit to this prayer in the battle for my spiritual life. Enjoy...
Lord Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)
jim part of that wonderful prayer was spoken by john The Baptist when he said 'I am to decrease as Jesus is toincrese."...Thank you...Armand
DeleteEgo prevented me from any form of humility. Pride and fear became the face of ego. At no time had I ever taken a square look at myself, therefore, had no clear recognition of who and what I was, and no genuine desire to do the work necessary to become willing to become me. Only by incorporating the truths of The Twelve Steps into my life have I received some measure of humility. Enough to know that I only get to truly "feel" who I am by truly knowing who I am.
ReplyDeleteMichael I once heard it said that when one thinks they are humble they are not however one cannot possibly subjugate their human nature to the will of God without a measure of humility...Thank you...Armand
DeleteKevin yes that makes perfect sense...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI have discovered that anything less than the "complete surrender" of ourselves, that is, mind, body and spirit to the Person of God in the 4th and 5th steps will leave us still living the delusion that we continue to somehow possess the leverage to negotiate the terms and conditions of our "recovery" allowing us to carry on with our lives as though alcohol or any other substance abuse issue was our only problem and were it not for that "daemon rum" life would be just dandy. However, much like a marriage, the purpose of executing these steps in the presence of either an AA sponsor or other spiritual advisor is to have a temporal witness to this deeply humbling spiritual commitment. It is the complete surrender to God in the presence of another that makes the "talk" a "walk" and propels us through the birth pains of a new, right and eternal relationship between God, ourselves and all of His creation...
As long as this alcoholic entertains any thought or imagining that God desires that I continue to direct life's tour would easily come under the definition of insanity and the basic foundation of the mental meanderings of a megalomaniac. It reminds me of the bumper stickers I've seen that say "God is my Co-Pilot". I want to run to the driver and fervently encourage them to pry their fingers off the "wheel" and quickly "swap seats", for although that type of thinking provides a form of "spiritual" walk it completely lacks the Power of the Author and Finisher of the journey as we now mistakenly begin to rely upon Him to accomplish our will with His power. A desperately destructive arrangement until we finally place the keys of our lives into His perfectly capable hands.
Simply put, This alcoholic is incapable of self-generating the actions that lead to the serenity spoken of in the Big Book. Never could, never will. The serenity that is a product of true humility is a gift of God only given when we "humble themselves and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, For then His eyes shall be open and His ears attentive to the prayers of this place." And thus, He says, "I shall grant you a time of refreshment". That, my brother, is serenity.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic love when you wrote "a surrender in the presence of another turns the talk into a walk."...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDelete