When I become angry or resentful, it is in that moment that I manifest my human SELF-CENTEREDNESS. In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous it says "that we think is the root of our troubles." It also goes on to say "It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise point that we permit these do we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile. But with the alcoholic whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found it fatal! For when harboring such thoughts we cut ourselves off from the sunlight of the spirit."
The solution to our alcoholism is a vital spiritual experience. We must give life to our relationship with God. We accomplish this by turning from our human nature and living in the will of God. We receive God's will through inspiration conditioned by prayer and meditation. We can't possibly be in the will of God when we are manifesting SELF - CENTEREDNESS in our lives , but by sobrogating our human nature to the will of God we cannot possibly manifest the SELF - CENTEREDNESS of our human nature in our behavior.
Written by Armand
Self centeredness did exactly what it is supposed to do. It left me angry, isolated, incapable of having a good relationship with anyone regardless of their intent or mine. I was all I had. Fear and loathing followed. Having the mind of a chronic alcoholic, I, like millions of others, was hopeless. As Carl Jung explained - "here and there, once in a while, alcoholics have had what are known as vital spiritual experiences." "Ideas, emotions and attitudes which were once the guiding force in their lives are suddenly cast aside and new conceptions and motives begin to dominate them." By integrating all Twelve Steps into my life until they became my life, I learned that I had another self. A selfless-self - the self I'd yearned to know and love. Today, I know that in order to keep myself, I must give myself away. Every day, in every way, and with pleasure.
ReplyDeleteMichael a life lived in the will of God free of self is a life worth living...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThis is how I determine if I'm behaving self centered. I say the Litany of Humility.
ReplyDeleteO Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus. (repeat after each line)
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. (repeat after each line)
That others may be esteemed more than I ,
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
Jim an 11th Step prayer. Pray always...Thank you...Armand
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ReplyDeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteTrue humility simply cannot exist in the mind and heart of a self-centered thinker. Humility, the state of being a God centered being only occurs as we spend time; serious time, in the presence of the Master, prayerfully communing with Him, seeking out His will and guidance in every moment so that our very lives begin to become the essence of his prayer. Consider Jesus' words recorded in Matthew 11:28 - 30, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." It is at this juncture, as we surrender our limited understanding of life on life's terms that we begin to be inspired by the Master, think the Masters thoughts and do the things the Master does as He progressively becomes the only object and destination of our journey.
At first, Gods will appears to be the diametric opposite of my own, inconvenient and out of focus... This well hidden self-centered pride pollutes everything. It stunts my spiritual growth, hobbles my relationships and causes me to miss His blessings. When I allow pride to reign, life becomes bland, truth becomes relative and values become debased. And so I pray:
Lord, You only ask that I believe You and are willing to let You change my life and help me to avoid sin and bear unimpeachable testimony to your intervention into my life. forgive me when I look away from you for even an instant and plummet into the all too imaginary raging waves of life as did Peter in the Sea of Galilee when he took his eyes from you. For only when my mind is firmly planted upon Your Word and gloriously sweet Presence will I have the power to face the ambiguities of today with the absolutes of Your truth, guidance, grace and love with all whom you place upon my path.
Lord, keep me mindful of the eight words of God-centered servanthood: Without You, I can't; without me You won't. Think Your thoughts through me, speak Your truth through my words, and enable Your best for others through what You lead me to do.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic loved when you wrote "our very lives begin to become the essence of His prayer." .The purpose of the 12 Steps of AA...Thank you...Armand
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