HERE’S TO YOUR HEALTH
The week’s HTYH is about Step Six, “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” Bill Wilson in his book, Twelve Steps and 12 Traditions said:
This is the step that separates the men from the boys. so declares a well-loved clergyman who happens to be one of AA’s greatest friends. He goes on to explain that any person capable of enough willingness and honesty to repeatedly try Step Six on all his faults-without any reservations whatever-has indeed come a long way spiritually, and is therefore entitled to be called a man who is sincerely trying to grow in the image and likeness of his Creator.
Of course, the often disputed question of whether God can and will, under certain conditions, remove defects of character, will be answered with a prompt affirmative by almost any AA member. To him, this proposition will be no theory at all; it will be just about the largest fact in his life. He will usually offer this proof in a statement like this: “Sure, I was beaten, absolutely licked. My own willpower just wouldn’t work on alcohol. Change of scene, the best efforts of family, friends, doctors, and clergymen got nowhere with my alcoholism. I simply couldn’t stop drinking, and no human power could do the job. But, when I became willing to clean house and then asked a Higher Power, God, as I understood Him, to give me release, my obsession to drink vanished. It was lifted right out of me.”
Sgt. Bill said in his book, On The Military Firing Line, coming to terms with the power of God, as we understand Him, and becoming aware of God’s ability to act in our behalf, is an aid to achieving greater honesty and objectivity. Trust in the divine wisdom of God is another step in the process of relinquishing our own selfish attempts to control our own environment totally and absolutely.
Professor Chesnut’s book, The Higher Power of the Twelve-Step Program, quoted Richmond Walker’s August 7 meditation: We should never doubt that God’s Spirit is always with us, wherever we are, to keep us on the right path. God’s keeping power is never at fault, only our own realizing of it. We must try to believe in God’s nearness and the availability of His grace. It is not a question of whether God can provide a shelter from the storm, but of whether or not we seek the security of that shelter. Every fear, worry or doubt is disloyalty to God. We must endeavor to trust God wholly. When we begin to trust God more deeply, we find our resentments have less and less power over us. Professor Chesnut also quoted a priest named Father Ralph Pfau, who’s German speaking people from his parish along the Ohio River said: Die Ubung macht den Meister. In English, we usually say, “Practice makes perfect.” But the German literally says, “Using something makes me the master of it.” If I miss my practice periods for a single day, I can tell the difference. If I miss practicing for two days, my wife can tell the difference. If I miss for three days, everybody can tell the difference.
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