For me, CONSCIOUS CONTACT is a personal relationship with God in this moment and at this time. I do not look back in regret nor do I look forward in fear. Through the grace of God in this moment I have relinquished my human nature. My human instincts are no longer propelling my thought process, but rather my thought process is propelled by the will of God through inspiration.The "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous says, "We may face indecision, we might not be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or decision. We are often surprised how the right answers will come after we have tried this for awhile. What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind. We find our thinking will be, as time passes, more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it." The dictionary defines inspiration as, "the thoughts of God implanted upon the mind and soul of man." I do not need to run the thoughts of God through my intellect - I instantaneously perceive them as truth. The question becomes, will I be obedient? Is my behavior going to be propelled by the will of God or by my human instincts? The back half of the Eleventh Step says, "...praying only for the knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out", as my human nature will never do the will of God.
It is here that a recovered alcoholic lives, in the will of God, through CONSCIOUS CONTACT.
Written by Armand
Your treatment of the depth and breadth of conscious contact is wonderfully clear and, as I understand it, in complete accordance with what Carl Jung meant when he spoke of a vital spiritual experience. Today I know that my drinking came from my thinking but, more importantly, my thinking came from my unconscious, far beneath and below my conscious. It was my unconscious that sent me the misdirected instinctive cues that spoiled my thinking and propelled my drinking. In the program of recovery, I've learned that it is within my unconscious whence the problem emanates. As you point out, the only solution to the resultant mayhem this misdirection causes is to have my thought propulsion changed through Inspiration - a process of implanting, not planting as it cannot and will not be done by me. Inspiration, as the Step points out, however, requires action from me in order to receive the peace of mind it connotes. That action is to integrate all Twelve Steps into my life in such a way that they have become my life. And, yes, time does take time which I, the impatient alcoholic, must accept. My mind may not recognize conscious contact in the moment but my spirit thrives on it.
ReplyDeleteMichael in the will of God two things occur for me the alcoholic: I will not drink and I will not manifest my human character defects in my behavior. This presents to the alcoholic a life of joy and peace beyond telling...Thank you...Armand
DeleteWhen I seek I find...I am seeking a deeper relationship with God, making conscious contact, pausing and listening. I can find the solution when I step out of the problem, my drinking use to be a major problem, but only a symptom of my malady. My thinking and self-centered fear is what I struggle with today. I need God to guide and direct my thinking. By the grace of God I have not found it necessary to drink but living life on life terms can be overwhelming at times. I am hoping my thought process can be changed through inspiration. I am trying to put spiritual principles in every part of my life. If God can solve the age-old riddle of alcoholism I have to believe he can solve my problems too. I know that I am not cured of alcoholism and that I really have a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual condition. Every day is a day when I must carry the vision of God’s will into all of my activities. How can I best serve thee, thy will, not mine be done.
ReplyDeleteJessica for whatever it is worth, keep at it as you are on the right track...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThe wonderful and unexpected events that come to pass in life are the gifts from God and I need to thank him each time they happen. Nothing in Gods world happens by mistake and what I have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of my spiritual condition. This comes from working steps 10, 11 and 12 on a daily basis with the help of a sponsor who has found this solution and is willing to freely give what was given to them.
ReplyDeleteAnne back half of the 11th Step is "praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry it out...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThe way of living we receive from the Big Book is simple, but not easy. Learning to direct our actions consistent with the will of God in our material world will be impossible if I continue to think and believe the way this world encourages me. Listening to will of God requires me to LEARN how to discern through a completely difference lens then we have been taught. The Big Book directs me how to do this. We can't take a pill and WHAM, we have learned how to listen and understand God's will. I have to learn new beliefs and skills by rewiring how I think. This requires me to be disciplined, obedient and persistent by following the message and methods found in the Big Book. (Not very popular values these days) It takes time for me to get to the point where I can understand Gods will. Why? Because we have to develop and grow a relationship with God where trust built and I learn to communicate in the language of the Creator. It takes work and benefiting from the people who have been down this road all ready in AA. I am the luckiest man in the world because the road I am walking others have already been. I stand on the shoulders of great men and women of AA which makes my journey a lot easier if I had to be a trail blazer.
ReplyDeleteJim anyone who says time doesn't matter in AA doesn't have any time...Thank you...Armand
DeleteIn this modern and technological age, with it's confusing clatter of human pedagogy, situational ethics and moral relativism, there is yet a timeless and eternal call still being proclaimed by the Creator and Sustainer of all:
ReplyDelete"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me"...
When we became even the least bit willing to answer that call we soon discover that the 12 Steps of AA are in the order they are for a reason and Step 11 is no exception. Every step is recorded in the past perfect tense forming the collective testimony of each personal yet unified journey on this divinely inspired road less traveled with a simple clarity seldom encountered in secular writings. There is no me as the focus proclaimed. There is solely Himself, as the ultimate destination named. God can only be experienced when all other forms of mere human ingenuity are abandoned and surrendered to a fervently desired Person who is the only Faithful and True Author of Life through the only path He has proclaimed, a humble and contrite heart.
The Steps, in their entirety, bear unimpeachable witness through a collective personal testimony to God's never ending outreach of grace to anyone who is willing to surrender and embrace the immutable truth of His Word that manifests the undeniable Presence of His Person the moment we make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to His care. It is He that is the source of an ever increasing desire to understand Him and His ultimate reason for His creation.
It is He, who sweeps away the carnage of our past and our morbid dread of the future. It is He, who authors the Fruit of the Spirit as a never ending manifestation of the divinely desired relationship that, once barred from within, is now free to inspire our every conscious moment. It is He, who provides the grace to yield ourselves to Him as our old desires are systematically swept away and it is He, who lovingly compels us to inwardly nurture and surrender to this ongoing and ever broadening relationship with the Creator, Sustainer and Lover of our souls.
Just as the 11th step bears witness that God Himself is the instigation and inspiration of our growing desire to commune with and please Him, Step 12 testifies that this once desperately lived life begins to bear the unmistakable witness of Gods presence and purpose through the Holy Spirit who now resides within to reveal Jesus, drawing those still suffering from the insatiable, desperate loneliness of a life without hope to a true and eternal life of freedom. Yes, although we live In a world gone mad, be of good cheer; for the Alpha and Omega, the only True Source of eternal peace, joy and hope still proclaims:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me" - Revelation 3:20 -
A Grateful Recovering Alcoholic
a Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic Amen,,,Thank you...Armand
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