Our journey through the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous teaches us the value of daily inventory. Much can be discovered and the inner self can be transformed as we move away from the instincts of our human nature and progress into the world of the Spirit. We realize there is no need to wait until the end of each day to perform such an inventory, as we can address the manifestation of our defects as they occur. The book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous says, "There is the spot check inventory, taken at any time of the day that we find ourselves getting tangled up." This may be as simple as identifying unkind thoughts that we have of people who are not like us in appearance or beliefs, so that we can reveal and deal with the thoughts as they are happening...and not wait until the end of the day to address such things.When we have completed the first nine steps of the program of Alcoholics Anonymous we have extricated ourselves from the past and freed ourselves of the shame and guilt we carried for so many years. By implementing a daily inventory and progressing it steadily into a spot check inventory, we can tackle the manifestation of our character defects as they occur in the present so that in this moment and at this time we are free of the instincts of our human nature and one with God.
We have unraveled, treated and released our past and are now free of the bondage of self - we are at peace in the will of God. Discovery through inventory is a crucial tool of recovery, existing so as not to create yet another unpleasant past that we are burdened to carry into the present.
Written by Armand
The idea of my inner self being transformed has become the most powerful aspiration of my life experience. I am aware that I have either failed my human nature (through fear), or that my human nature has simply failed me. In the end, all that matters is my awareness and willingness to go beyond the limitations of that nature to the limitlessness of The Power Within me. In The Tenth Step, I have found that Understanding and Effectiveness are available to me each day of my life. To earn that discovery, however, I must continue to integrate all Twelve Steps into my life in such a way that they actually become my life. Inventory has become the practice and discovery the reward. All that remains is to give it away one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteMichael love "Inventory has become the practice and discovery the reward."...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand and Michael,
ReplyDeleteDiscovery Through Inventory is right on the mark. I find when I hit a speed bump along the daily march such as I find myself being impatient that it is best to dial up God and ask God to show me what to do to rid myself of impatience. I find that you have to constantly ask God for Guidance on the daily March. John S.
Armand, Suggestion... Google WHAT IS THE OXFORD GROUP? and you will find PDF of a book written in 1933 that will give you insights into how Bill W. formulated THE TWLEVE STEP PROGRAM. The Oxford Group's Four Practical Spiritual Activities are the basis of THE TWLEVE STEP PROGRAM. Best, John
ReplyDeleteJohn thanks. I am aware. There is AA appoved literature that deals with the same...Thank you...Armand
DeleteArmand,
ReplyDeleteIf done with absolute abandon, the previous steps have brought us into a divinely inspired personal relationship with God. We have discovered that God is not some nebular impersonal mystical force but in fact a Person. Indeed, a Loving Father who uniquely loves each and every one of us with a love beyond telling. In Step 7 we have humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings for we have come to realize in Step 6 that His plan for us is a divine plan that can only be accomplished with Divine Power, His Power, and the very essence of His Being. In steps 8 and 9 we discover He has healed our once seared and self righteous conscience and provides physical opportunity's to share His grace with others.
Our spirit has become tender and as the Big Book proclaims, "Finally, we begin to see that all people, including our-selves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong, and then we approach true tolerance and see what real love for our fellows actually means. It will become more and more evident as we go forward that it is pointless to become angry, or to get hurt by people who, like us, are suffering from the pains of growing up. We can often check ourselves by remembering that we are today sober only by the grace of God and that any success we may be having is far more His success than ours."
As our journey continues we discover that the one time insatiable obsession with self is being replaced by an overwhelming empathy, love and understanding for even those who may despise us as we reflect and proclaim the essence of God’s simple plan and Spirit who now inhabits ours. Steps 10, 11 and 12 reveal the immutable fact that moment by moment our current spiritual state no longer reflects our once immature and fragmentary prayers, but are inspired by His...
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.