liadanslyre

the 12s and Church
the benefits from the bylaws (and steps) of the 12 step movement to the Church
continued... (see previous post for more)

preface:
these are just my opinions. that's why these comments are on my blog. take them with a grain of salt. i could definitely be wrong.

my hope is that, i am increasingly able to share my point of view with respect and gentility. if you think I could say these things in a more loving way- please teach me. email me and let me know.
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i think every Christian could benefit from steps 4-9**
(i think all 12 are stellar but these in particular are a lost art in the Church)

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to wherever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

resentments
Newcomers get bitch slapped a lot. At least i did. i would say, "well so and so hurt me and they did me wrong"- sad face. i remember numerous occasions of drunkenness over an offense. i had no idea the power of pardon (anyone remember that line from schindler's list?).

Anyway, my sponsor would say, "so? Yes what happened is terrible- but forgiveness is not an option- it is a requirement for health, progress and freedom".

Many of you are have some familiarity with the program, either through me or another. One paramount mantra is that resentments are the number one offender of an addict. Meaning that it is the cause of relapse. The resentments that i have dealt with in the past and currently try to surrender are each a great opportunity for me.

We're all addicts to something to coin Wimber- so this could easily apply to anyone. To be a spiritually functioning and healthy person- it is in my best interest to work through resentments.

Resentments tell me something about myself if i let them (see 6-9). They tell me about the hurt or "defect" that i am acting from. if i bring this to the light- there is hope. if i do not; repeatable patterns are promised me.

** my understanding of the heart of these steps has evolved. at first it was an opportunity to tell someone about all the wickedness i had hidden that rotted me. this is certainly needed. but now, i am writing about how it applys to me today.

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i love forgiveness. My life requires so much of it! i am so grateful for God's mercy and i get bummed when i think of the pain that must come my way before i release an offense and allow God?s love and forgiveness into it. it's so basic and profound for me to just soak in it.