"True, most of us thought good character was desirable, but obviously good character was something one needed to get on with the business of being
self-satisfied. With a proper display of honesty and morality, we'd stand a better chance of getting what we really wanted. But whenever we had to choose
between character and comfort, the character-building was lost in the dust of our chase after what we thought was happiness. Seldom did we look at
character-building as something desirable in itself, something we would like to strive for whether our instinctual needs were met or not. We never thought of
making honesty, tolerance, and true love of man and God the daily basis of living.
This lack of anchorage to any permanent values, this blindness to the true purpose of our lives, produced another bad result. For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible. This was true even when we believed that God existed. We could actually have earnest religious beliefs which remained barren because we were still trying to play God ourselves. As long as we placed self reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing." (12x12 - Step Seeven)
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I don't know how much I actually have a desire to seek and do God's will, instead of my own will, but I could identify with so much of this. The scramble to get what I wanted by any means possible...good character and getting to feel self-satisfied...placing self-reliance first.
"For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible."
I end up laughing at myself because I say, in effect, "Ok, God. Thank You for helping me with that one....now, I've got it...no problem...I know You are busy."...and I am off and running again, on my own. Until I fall down again and hurt myself...then I ask for help.
So far, I have never stuck to relying on God completely...kind of an absolute, I guess...but sometimes I am forced to my knees, anyway. I think that is a good thing.
It helps me to read and go through steps ten and eleven in the Big Book, in the mornings. It kind of sets the tone for the day. I do some other readings, too...ask my Higher Power for help, in the morning...say thank You, at night.
In between, life can be peaceful or be a hoot, depending on what is going on, and depending on my own reliance on God. Still learning, all the time.
What about you? Do you find yourself able to rely on God completely? Do you struggle with self-will?
Am not the earth's greatest topic person (gross understatement), but this is what came to mind for me, this morning, and I thought that I would throw it out there.
Hope everybody has a good weekend!
Sam
This lack of anchorage to any permanent values, this blindness to the true purpose of our lives, produced another bad result. For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible. This was true even when we believed that God existed. We could actually have earnest religious beliefs which remained barren because we were still trying to play God ourselves. As long as we placed self reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing." (12x12 - Step Seeven)
-----
I don't know how much I actually have a desire to seek and do God's will, instead of my own will, but I could identify with so much of this. The scramble to get what I wanted by any means possible...good character and getting to feel self-satisfied...placing self-reliance first.
"For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible."
I end up laughing at myself because I say, in effect, "Ok, God. Thank You for helping me with that one....now, I've got it...no problem...I know You are busy."...and I am off and running again, on my own. Until I fall down again and hurt myself...then I ask for help.
So far, I have never stuck to relying on God completely...kind of an absolute, I guess...but sometimes I am forced to my knees, anyway. I think that is a good thing.
It helps me to read and go through steps ten and eleven in the Big Book, in the mornings. It kind of sets the tone for the day. I do some other readings, too...ask my Higher Power for help, in the morning...say thank You, at night.
In between, life can be peaceful or be a hoot, depending on what is going on, and depending on my own reliance on God. Still learning, all the time.
What about you? Do you find yourself able to rely on God completely? Do you struggle with self-will?
Am not the earth's greatest topic person (gross understatement), but this is what came to mind for me, this morning, and I thought that I would throw it out there.
Hope everybody has a good weekend!
Sam
Jo
