What working the steps looks like…
“I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through, and though perhaps he came to scoff, he may remain to pray.”
William D. Silkworth, MD – Pg. xxx
“God is everything or he is nothing. God either is or he isn’t. What was our choice to be?” Pg. 53
Pg. 59 We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.
First Step
God, I admit that I am powerless over alcohol (or my addiction). My life has become unmanageable. I cannot do this alone. Please show me the truth about my condition and remove the denial that keeps me stuck. Help me become willing to seek the help I need. Amen.
Second Step
God, I know that I cannot recover on my own. I believe that a Power greater than myself can restore me to sanity. Help me become willing to believe. Remove my doubts and open my mind to Your power. Lead me toward truth and healing. Amen.
Third Step
Pg. 63 – God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love and Thy Way of Life. May I do Thy will always!
Fourth Step
Pg. 67 RESENTMENT – We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, “This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done”.
Pg. 68 FEAR – We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be.
Pg. 69 SEX – We asked God to mold our ideals and help us live up to them.
Pg. 69 SEX – In meditation, we ask God what we do about each specific matter.
Pg. 70 SEX – To sum up about sex: We pray for the right ideal, for guidance in each questionable situation, for sanity and for strength to do the right thing.
Fifth Step
Pg. 75 We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know Him better.
Pg. 75 we ask if we have omitted anything,
Sixth Step
Pg. 76 If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.
Seventh Step
Pg. 76 My Creator, I am now willing that You should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that You now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do Your bidding. Amen
Eighth Step
Pg. 76 If we haven’t the will to do this, we ask until it comes.
Ninth Step
Pg. 79 LEGAL MATTERS – We ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences might be.
Pg. 80 OTHERS EFFECTED – If we have obtained permission, have consulted with others, asked God to help.
Pg. 82 INFIDELITY – Each might pray about it, having the other one’s happiness uppermost in mind.
Pg. 83 FAMILY – So we clean house with the family, asking each morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.
Tenth Step
Pg. 84 Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them.
Pg. 85 Everyday is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our activities. “How can I best serve Thee–Thy will (not mine) be done”.
Eleventh Step
Pg. 86 NIGHT After meditation on the day just completed, “We ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken”.
Pg. 86 MORNING Before we begin our day, “we ask god to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives”.
Pg. 86 MORNING In thinking about our day, “We ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or decision”.
Pg. 87 MORNING We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems. We especially ask for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no requests for ourselves only We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends.
Pg. 87 – 88 ALL DAY As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action.
Twelfth Step
Pg. 164 Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come IF your own house is in order.
Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful. You should not hesitate to visit the most sordid spot on earth on such an errand. Keep on the firing line of life with these motives and God will keep you unharmed. Pg. 102
The 12 Spiritual Principles of Recovery
The 12 spiritual principles of recovery are as follows:
- Acceptance/Honesty
- Hope
- Faith/Surrender
- Courage
- Honesty/Integrity
- Patience/Willingness
- Humility
- Willingness/Love
- Brotherly-love/Responsibility
- Integrity/Discipline
- Self-discipline/Awareness
- Love/Faith/Service
Prayer of St. Francis (often used in AA)
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace!
That where there is hatred, I may bring love.
That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness.
That where there is discord, I may bring harmony.
That where there is error, I may bring truth.
That where there is doubt, I may bring faith.
That where there is despair, I may bring hope.
That where there are shadows, I may bring light.
That where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted.
To understand, than to be understood.
To love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.