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, 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
Michael C.
ReplyDeleteThe program of recovery provides us with multiple opportunities to examine powerlessness and to extricate ourselves from its paralyzing grip. In an absolute sense powerlessness was the condition which brought me into conscious contact with The Power Within me - The Power of all powers. However, even in Step Ten where we have entered the world of the spirit, our human nature can continue to alter our behavior thus revealing ongoing defective behavior. It is at that point that we must “resolutely” turn our thoughts to others we can help. We’re reminded that love and tolerance of others must become our code. Powerlessness through self-centeredness; power through others.
Michael love and tolerance is a marker for a relationship with God...Thank you...Armand
DeleteWe are powerless, even after we have been through the Big Book with a sponsor. Our human nature can overcome us if we drop our guard and protection that comes only from above. This week we lost another fellow to our disease. A 28 year old man who battled alcohol and drugs. The Program took second place to building a career and financial fear. We must put our sobriety first before everything because a relationship with God is the answer we need to live in this world, or else we die. We have to remember the seriousness of our disease.
ReplyDeleteJim sorry for the loss. Sobriety before anything else is needed...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand, I take a different viewpoint about Powerlessness as it relates to our lives. Please see my White Paper Number 2, Getting Rightly Related to God. The White Paper is published on Medium and can be googled: John Springer Architect Medium. Give me read and tell me what you think and we can start a discussion on Powerlessness. All the Best, John
ReplyDeleteJohn thanks...Armand
DeleteBecause it involves continual inventory, Step 10 involves all the "action steps" we have previously practiced and taken-- 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. When I take a daily or spot-check inventory, I have a chance to see my part in resentment, fear or sex conduct, tell another human being about it (preferably but not necessarily my sponsor), find the character defects revealed and become willing to let go of them, and make amends if I have harmed anyone. Therefore daily practice of step 10 becomes the most important step for "integrating the 12 steps into my life in such a way that they become my life" as Armand and Michael C. so eloquently put it. Step 10 is the key to a God-centered life. It is often called a "maintenance step" but perhaps it's better understood as a "growth step"-- the key to "growing in understanding and effectiveness" in a lifetime of recovery.
ReplyDeleteDan not much to say. Amen...Thank you...Armand
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ReplyDeleteHi Armand, Your writing on the 10th Step gives new understanding, and depth of character
ReplyDeleteto our discovery of our soul present in our being......understanding the "how" to love our soul.
I thank God for his many 'real' gifts, ,,,,,,All I can say, is the wonderous, powerful, playful,
eternal soul that God has chosen to house in our human body is present for us to engage with, and
receive guidance......... .to.begin to know our true, fullness. God Bless you. Peace. Be still. Irene G. 10/11/2019.
Irene love when you wrote "I thank God for His many "real" gifts."..Thank you...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. I love God’s law with all my heart. 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. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 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. 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
Dear Armand, thank you!
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