The 12th Step of Alcoholics Anonymous is, "Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs." This step clearly places a responsibility upon us, as sponsors - but we cannot give away that which we don't have. The "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous states, "We have recovered and been given the power to help others." The power to help others is a direct result of the spiritual awakening received in Step Twelve. Until one such spiritual awakening has occurred it is impossible for it to occur in other alcoholics that we may be helping. Furthermore, once the Spirit has been awakened within us we cannot be in the will of God without helping others. Both in and out of the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.We are gifted the power to carry the message to other alcoholics not only through our words but by incorporating the principles of the Alcoholics Anonymous program (the Twelve Steps) right into our lives, displaying them through our behavior. Once the spirit has been awakened in those we help then they themselves can lead a recovered life. These recovered alcoholics will then have the power to help others in the way necessary, so that still others may recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Your gift can be a gift to others.
Written by Armand
Per my experience in the program of recovery, it all makes sense only when the program is practiced and lived according to The Big Book of AA. As a defeated drinker, I was anxious for a better life but for years, I didn't "seize upon it to follow its suggestions." I read it, I talked about it, I shared about it, but in the end I had little to transmit. My frustration was painful as I strongly wanted to give away what I had received. Instead, I found myself (with well over two decades in the program)sad. A knowing sponsor took me through The Big Book page by page, meeting by meeting. My life went from half-empty to completely full. Full enough, anxious enough, happy enough, effective enough to give it all away. Therein lies the ultimate gift of the program of recovery - loving myself and my fellow alcoholic. The more I continue to give, the more I continue to get.
ReplyDeleteMichael You have always been an active contributing member of Alcoholic Anonymous but now that you are a recovered Alcoholic, you are most effective. Your contributions to AA are essential in the sense that is necessary for an Alcoholic to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body...Thank you...Armand
Deletermand,
ReplyDeleteOne of the greatest blessings received and fondest memories recalled is to have been present when you first came to believe that God Himself is the ultimate author of the 12 steps of AA and then bear witness as you surrendered every aspect of your life as you then understood it and received Jesus into your heart. Spiritually, it was then that you received the Gift to confidently confirm to others that the yearnings of every heart consumed by desperation, fear and trepidation can only be satisfied by a true spiritual conversion. The Gift you received to fully apprehend God's revelation, that He personally and continuously reaches out to each and every one of His errant children with a fiery passion and boundless love, no matter how far we have strayed from His Light, opened the door to the ultimate and ongoing Gift and revelation that He desires that all be joint "sponsor's" of that plan. That is, evangelists...
A true evangelists always points to the True Source of their resurrected lives and it is that resurrected life that draws others to inquire of The True Source. The AA Big Book, clearly taken from the Bible, tells us "that one is God" and I would humbly add, God alone. God did not create us with with a hidden source of divine power that was there all along only waiting to be discovered by our own or others fumblinging and futile efforts at pealing away the layers of our nature. God created us with an emptiness in our spirit that only He can fill and the longing for His Presence that alone will finally complete us. He never forces Himself upon anyone. He created us all as unique and deeply loved individuals with a free will to either accept or reject Him. If we are truly honest with ourselves we will admit that we consistently rejected His loving overtures for fear of loosing what we think we have or never getting what we think we want.
The Big Book also tells us that, alcohol aside, the only thing standing in the way of redemption way is our grandiose and totally selfish and self serving human nature, that until He is invited in, inhabits the very core of our being. A nature whose best efforts have birthed the desperation that ultimately brought us into the rooms of AA. And that in order to know the "peace which surpasses all understanding" we must surrender our will and our lives to God as we understand Him. The beginning of that surrender is to finally acknowledge to ourselves that we-are-not-God. That He is who He says He is and is eternally the only worthy recipient of that surrender we so desperately seek to avoid.
I often pass by the small stone chapel where you accepted the Lord and His unique ministry through you began. The doors were rarely if ever open and it was seldom if ever used, but that one day it was unlocked, warm and full of life. There truly are no coincidences. We were there by Divine appointment. Over time I watched as you took up His call with complete abandon. He has used your unique personality, talents, culture and experiences as an inspiration to a great many others desperately seeking the only true release from the seemingly inescapable internal prison of self through His outreach in the rooms of AA and beyond. That is why you were called. That is why we are all called.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic thank you so much for being present on that day in that chapel. It is through you that His voice was heard by me.
DeleteThe Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is clear that we must abandon our nature completely and manifest the will of God in our behavior. You articulated that beautifully...Thank you...Armand