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In Step 4 we are asked to be searching,
fearless and thorough. If we have been then we have made a good beginning. We
are then asked to discuss these ‘chunks of truth’ with another
person. Here we learn more of fearlessness, humility and honesty, Step 5.
We then carefully review our progress.
We then see if we are ready to allow God to
remove those things we admitted were objectionable, Step 6. If so we pray that
God remove from us those defects of character to him and our fellows, Step 7.
Why ?
Because we are fitting ourselves to be of
maximum service to God and the people about us. It is He who decides how we are
to be of maximum service; it is our real purpose to fit ourselves. And we are
fitting ourselves in this simple process we are currently (and will be an
ongoing deal) engaged in.
Step 8, we have a list (not we made a
list), we have a list (made while we took inventory, Step 4). Now we go out to
our fellows (not ourselves) to repair the damage done in the past, Step 9.
If we are painstaking....if we take the
pains....if we are searching, fearless and thorough.
Step 10, we continue to take inventory
(ongoing process). Step 11, we constructively review (remember we are fitting
ourselves). We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God discipline us in
this simple way we have just outlined.
Each pair or coupled steps become a
powerfully effective tool.
Steps 4 & 5 – Courage and
integrity
Steps 6 & 7 – Willingness and
humility
Steps 8 & 9 – Brotherly love and
justice
Steps 10 & 11 – Willingness,
openness and honesty, or in other words, spiritual progress.
God bless
Dave
Hi Folks ,
I have begun
making amends , 3 serious ones so far . In my case step 4 nor step 8 was a done
deal . I was informed of something I had done in drink that I have no
recollection of at all , not even to this day , but it went straight on my
amend list , belatedly.
I have
shared it on here before , some time before I came to AA my sister had a
miscarriage followed by a serious operation which resulted in her never being
able to have children , during all of this trauma I showed up , was soon
ejected and banished. My brother in law was speaking to me about it and I was
clueless , still can't recall it.
I wander
what else awaits me ?
Best
wishes Des
"Paul S."
<soberfinn@yahoo.
Hi Jim and all (Hmm? Where is all?)
An interesting point.
However "it says" that we made the list in step 4.
But offcource, perhaps it was incomplete.
Anyway the help from step 7 can/may be important
on order to achieve the willingness in step 8.
So the list in step 4 is not a done deal.
Step 8 is a real and important step
And offcource I never put myself on that list.
The grace of God (of my understanding) has
given me more than I expected.
Just my 5 cents (the extra 3 for my bad english)
All the best
Paul S. aka soberfinn
Recovered from a seemingly.....yoy know
--- In We_Have_Recovered@yahoogroups. , "Jim K." <jknyc@...> wrote:com
>
> A family friend named Jack Brennan got sober in 1942 in the early
days
> of AA. He died in 1987 but I had the good fortune of knowing him in
my
> early days of sobriety. He used to group these three steps- 7, 8 &
9
> together. It seemed weird to me - I thought that 4 & 5, 6 & 7, 8 &
9
> went together in pairs.
>
> He explained to me that Step 7 was preparing me for the next step.
The
> humility I needed to write an 8th Step list with a dose of reality
> would come as a result of Step 7. And he was right - not for a
moment
> did I consider putting myself on that list - never mind at the top
as
> I hear shared in the rooms of AA today. If selfishness, self
> centeredness was the root of my problem thinking I belong on that
list
> surely means I missed the whole point of Step 3 - never mind the
steps
> that followed.
>
> Jim - Recovered!
>
All
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