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
As you wisely point out, I must first understand my powerlessness in order to regain power in an essential-to-be-me way. It is only by integrating all Twelve Steps into my life that I will understand power and learn how to use it to help others. The Tenth Steps avails me the opportunity to continuously measure the alignment of my behavior and my spiritual fullness. The minute I succumb to selfish, self-centered thinking is the minute I lose contact with The Power Within me, The Source of all my power. Thus, I must remain in conscious contact which is both the rigor and the pleasure of the program of recovery. The Twelve Steps!
ReplyDeleteMichael The manifestation of our character defects in our behavior is a clear sign that we are not in the will of God...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteI AM The Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No Other gods Before Me” This word from the Lord is the starting point for practicing my daily Step 10 inventory. For It is far too easy to dismiss my errant acts and actions through lack of an absolute standard by which to judge or worse, by clinging to any self absolution based on embracing the situational ethics that are deeply buried in the subconscious mind of all of humanity. As you have eloquently pointed out this new life is filled with challenges at every turn and I cannot carry the message if I can not or will not “continue to practice these principals in all my affairs.” Step 10 clearly identifies my newfound conscience and desire to keep a very short list of my daily penchant to place people, places or things on the throne that can only be occupied by God if I am to know true peace.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the preceding Steps have born witness to my birth into a personnel relationship with God. I am now confident that I can bring anything to Him with the absolute assurance that He will provide all that I need to continue to walk in His will. Having embraced by grace this call from God I find myself compelled to embrace the ongoing death of my old life through the resurrection and renewal of my newfound life in Jesus Christ. This is a constantly renewing spiritual relationship that places God first in all things and me humbly at His feet as he draws me into His Spiritual arms. St. Paul describes this process and answers the struggle exquisitely so I defer to his words in Romans: 7-8.
“I have discovered this principal of life - that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love Gods 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 Jesus Christ. 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 miraculous fact that the pure and Holy God of all eternity Himself personally reaches out, initiates and perfectly completes this process in all who are willing to surrender to Him. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen..
A Gratefully recovering Alcoholic within my human nature I have often experienced the Scripture you have referred to. 'that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.'...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteLack of power is my dilemma...I don't like to be in a dilemma so I surrender.
ReplyDeleteIn admitting I am powerless to my innermost being, I then seek God's strength and power to do for me what I cannot do for myself. Faith without works is dead. I do inventory, I gain more self-awareness, I grow, change, heal, live and learn. I am teachable and God guides me.
I pray for more patience, love and tolerance with myself and others. I learn to let go and go with the flow and trust. I cannot be in control..I can try and align my will with the will of God.
I continue to pause, pray and be...