Once much has been accomplished and an ample portion of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous completed, the personal relationship with and the dependence upon God take on much deeper and all-encompassing meanings.In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous in the chapter "How It Works" it says, "We are in the world to play the role God assigns." We, who have learned through our experience, know this can be accomplished through the practice of the Twelve Steps. Specifically it is in the Tenth Step, through daily examination, through which we uncover our character defects and their continuous manifestation in our behavior. Despite this action and reaction to life not being how and what we want it is still powerfully prevalent. It is here, in the conflict of not wanting to manifest our character defects in our behavior but POWERLESS over such occurrences that we are thrown back into Step One. There, in the midst of Step One we can see so very clearly how we are not only powerless over our use of alcohol and drugs but powerless over every single aspect of our lives. We had previously learned at a cognitive level that our lives must be given to the care and direction of God - but now, through our personal experiences, we can perceive this with more clarity and at a much deeper and consequential level.
It is in the taking of the daily inventory that we begin to fully understand the power and pervasiveness of our character defects encoded into our human nature. To overcome the manifestation of our character defects in our behavior we must subrogate our human nature and utterly abandon ourselves to the will of God. For it is in the infinite power and love of Him that we are healed.
Written by Armand
Yes, I was powerless over everything, and there is no worse or more pervasive feeling. That feeling, however, was the work of my mind. It rendered me vacant, vapid, valueless. To this day, I don't know how or why that absence of self existed in me but it does not exist any longer, and hasn't for years. Instead, I find myself powered by The Power Within me and not by my own self-absorbed thinking and slavish will. In the program of recovery I learned that all things are possible including power over my life, my choices, my loves and my actions. Only by incorporating The Steps into my life in a way that they became my life have I found power rooted in powerlessness - both the great irony and the great gift of my existence. I know that attitudes and actions have led me to this new state of consciousness and being. And that this gift is available for anyone who truly seeks it.
ReplyDeleteMichael having the humility to admit powerlessness and the humility that the power needed relies in God is necessary to be willing to make a decision in Step Three...Thank you...Armand
DeleteKevin thanks for sharing your experience and keep at it...Armand
ReplyDeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteThe preceding steps have born witness to my birth into a new, personal and eternal relationship with God. I now know His name and having accepted my powerlessness over my own defects of character through step 6, I seek out His power in step 7 with a practiced growing confidence that I can bring anything to His feet with the absolute assurance that He will provide me with all that I need to overcome the inborn defects of my nature and nagging appetites of my flesh. Steps 10 and 11 reflect the inward call and submission to sanctification and discipleship. Having accepted Gods call, His presence compels me to embrace the ongoing death of my old life through the resurrection and renewal of my newfound life in Christ through the continuous flow of the grace that He provides.
It is a dynamic life and as step 12 makes clear, implies multiplication. Although I once bristled at the mere mention of His name I now fervently seek out the Author and Finisher of my faith for the power to overcome the enemy of my soul. In Romans Chapters 7 and 8, St. Paul, who shared his instant struggles of powerlessness amidst temptation in his own singularly devoted life clearly explains this inward battle and ultimate solution.
Romans 7:21 " I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power* within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."
It is a miraculously incomprehensible fact that the pure and Holy God of all eternity Himself personally reaches out, initiates and finally completes this process to all who are willing to surrender to Him. To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen...
A Grateful Recovering Alcoholic
a Grateful recovering Alcoholic The Integration of The Twelve Steps into our life in such a way that they become our life will lead us to a place of healing commanded to bring others there...Thank you...Armand
DeleteWhen I take my little will into my daily course of action I always end up on the painful side of things. Why? Because I am incapable of seeing what is coming over the horizon. I believe my intelligence and experience can navigate me through anything. But my reality is that I routinely ignore the biggest and best source of power I can ever need: God's will. I can only continue to apply the spiritual program I have only begun to understand that is Alcoholics Anonymous. My human nature continues to battle for my attention. It plays to my ego like a fiddle. I can't do it by myself anymore. I need to apply the humility AA calls for so I can live in this world without being of the world. I just want to be a traveler through this world and do God's big will during my journey.
ReplyDeleteJim willingness and humility are a powerful mix...Thank you...Armand
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