In The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions it is written: "A continuous look at our assets and liabilities, and a real desire to learn and grow by this means, are necessities for us. We alcoholics have learned this the hard way. More experienced people, of course, in all times and places have practiced unsparing self-survey and criticism. For the wise have always known that no one can make much of his life until self-searching becomes a regular habit, until he is able to ADMIT and ACCEPT what he finds, and until he patiently and persistently tries to correct what is wrong.
Through daily inventory we can admit and accept that our character defects are a part of our human nature, a part that cannot manifest if we are truly living in the will of God. We are completely capable of understanding, if the proper work on the 12 steps is thoroughly done, that our human nature is in fact defected. We must accept this about ourselves if we desire to be recovered.
In the program of Alcoholics Anonymous it is often said, "Let go and let God." The "Let go" part is turning from the incessant prompts of our human nature and the "Let God" part is living in, and thereby manifesting, the will of God. Living in the raw-natured will of God, our character defects cannot be manifested in our behavior - it is in such a spiritual place that our nature can be perfected as we become the human being that God created us to be.
Self-survey is a most powerful tool of recovery.
In The Eleventh Step, we learn that self-searching is the means by which we bring new vision, action and grace to bear upon the dark and negative sides of our natures. Hard to imagine that I would have to look deeply inside myself to find what I had been missing - me. Alcohol merely acted as a sorry substitute. Of course, to attempt to undertake that search without help would have been meaningless. It was only by integrating all Twelve Steps into my life in such a way that they would become my life that I would find The Power Within me. That Power is The Light which shone upon the dark and negative side of my fear-based nature and brought me recovery. I had to admit and accept what I found in order to know and love the person I was to find. And to fully become, one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteMichael self searching is a large part of many spiritual traditions. AA is no different...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDelete"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 I find this simple prayer is the key that opens the floodgates of grace contained within Step 10 and 11. I thank my gracious Father for showing me that the heart of the matter is always the heart. He has opened His heart and Spirit to me and blessed me with grace, forgiveness, lovingkindness and tender mercy beyond telling.
ReplyDeleteAnd now as I deeply contemplate all that He has done, in grateful response I can unreservedly offer my heart and plans to Him, in a renewed commitment to care about what concerns Him so that His love might overflow from me into the lives of others. It is His eternal blessing; now gratefully experienced, moment by moment, one day at a time, every day of my life, until I met my loving Savior and Lord, face to face. To that miraculous journey I say, Amen...
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic love when you wrote "the heart of the matter is always the heart"...Thank you...Armand
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