Sought through Prayers and Meditationto improve our Conscious Contact with God, As We Understood Him, and Praying only for Knowledge of His Will and the Power to carry it out
Paths to recovery Page110
Each Steps offers new spiritual guidance.In Step 11 we can maintain our growth with new energy, prayer, meditation and knowledge of his will.Although it is often referred to as the second maintenance step,Step 11 also introduces a new action- seeking to improve our conscious contact with God and gaining the knowledge of His will and the Power to carry it out.
MY Share
I am glad that this step is # 11 in the 12 Step process.By the time I reached this Step I had seriously worked Steps 1 -10 .I had truly connected with my Higher Power, whom I trusted, and I had searched out my defects and asked HP to remove my shortcoming.Since I had accepted the guidance of this program- I was willing to attempt to improve my conscious contact with my HP and to ask for knowledge of His will and most importantly ask for HP to give me the power to carry out his will.
I must admit that when I first worked this step I was a little nervous.My thoughts were What if HPs will for me was too hard and I could not do it. Then my sponsor pointed out that not only do we ask for HPs will we also ask for the Power to do it.There is nothing to worry about HP will not give me anything he does no give me the power to do.I must add that this is so very true.HP has asked me to do many difficult, painful things in my life but He also gave me the Courage, and Wisdom to carry them out not be destroyed and not destroy anyone else.I could not believe how brave I actually acted when before alanon I was so terrified of life and living.
Step 11 Questions
Am I am willing to try to pray and meditatetoday?
How have I been mistaken about Gods Will?
How has MY will caused me difficulties?
Do I have a special place to pray and meditate?
Am I willing to be guided today?
-- Edited by hotrod on Tuesday 27th of August 2013 11:49:05 AM
grateful2be said
Aug 28, 2013
I appreciate the share, Betty. Step 11 has always been my favorite step because unless I'm willing to be guided, I'm just wasting my energy and will end up needing to make an amends if not to someone else - to myself. To add a little story with my share:
A few years ago, my 15 year old car that had served me well although I wouldn't take it out on the highway, experienced a break in the driver's side window up and down button and it locked in the down position. It was November when rain and snow and cold would pelt me. I knew that that would be a costly repair and there were other electrical problems, a check engine light, beginnings of oil leaks and over 200,000 miles with the same transmission. I thought I should get things repaired until the car broke down completely. I'd been trying to save enough money to buy a new car for a long time, but not enough. I prayed about it, asking God to guide me and thinking the result would be God wanting me to keep this car and keep saving. What I heard in reflection was this: "Why would I want a daughter of mine to be driving a car she can't trust on icy roads in the winter? That's your plan. Not mine." I was able to pay half down on a good used car with a good warranty - just the type of car I had been saving to buy. A few months after that, my Dad was put in the hospital and then assisted living. I never would have been able to travel to see him as he needed with my plan.
I've learned that even my best plans - carried out with no prayer for guidance or clarity - creates more trouble for me than I need. I allow myself sometimes to get too busy to do Step 11 on a daily basis - and my day usually shows it. I've learned that in a One Day at a Time program, I also need to do a one day at a time prayerful seeking of knowledge of God's will for me and the power to carry it out - and more often than that on some days.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 12:41:41 AM
-- Edited by grateful2be on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 12:42:32 AM
hotrod said
Aug 28, 2013
Dear grateful2be
Thank you so much for that wonderful share. I do agree HP does not want his children to suffer. I too deprived myself, thinking that it was the wisest action and being frugal was the way to live. Hp had other ideas. So glad that you listened to HP and found that car that was just right. This program and the Steps are truly miracles in action
Step 11
Sought through Prayers and Meditation to improve our Conscious Contact with God, As We Understood Him, and Praying only for Knowledge of His Will and the Power to carry it out
Paths to recovery Page 110
Each Steps offers new spiritual guidance. In Step 11 we can maintain our growth with new energy, prayer, meditation and knowledge of his will. Although it is often referred to as the second maintenance step, Step 11 also introduces a new action- seeking to improve our conscious contact with God and gaining the knowledge of His will and the Power to carry it out.
MY Share
I am glad that this step is # 11 in the 12 Step process. By the time I reached this Step I had seriously worked Steps 1 -10 . I had truly connected with my Higher Power, whom I trusted, and I had searched out my defects and asked HP to remove my shortcoming. Since I had accepted the guidance of this program- I was willing to attempt to improve my conscious contact with my HP and to ask for knowledge of His will and most importantly ask for HP to give me the power to carry out his will.
I must admit that when I first worked this step I was a little nervous. My thoughts were What if HPs will for me was too hard and I could not do it. Then my sponsor pointed out that not only do we ask for HPs will we also ask for the Power to do it. There is nothing to worry about HP will not give me anything he does no give me the power to do. I must add that this is so very true. HP has asked me to do many difficult, painful things in my life but He also gave me the Courage, and Wisdom to carry them out not be destroyed and not destroy anyone else. I could not believe how brave I actually acted when before alanon I was so terrified of life and living.
Step 11 Questions
Am I am willing to try to pray and meditate today?
How have I been mistaken about Gods Will?
How has MY will caused me difficulties?
Do I have a special place to pray and meditate?
Am I willing to be guided today?
-- Edited by hotrod on Tuesday 27th of August 2013 11:49:05 AM
I appreciate the share, Betty. Step 11 has always been my favorite step because unless I'm willing to be guided, I'm just wasting my energy and will end up needing to make an amends if not to someone else - to myself. To add a little story with my share:
A few years ago, my 15 year old car that had served me well although I wouldn't take it out on the highway, experienced a break in the driver's side window up and down button and it locked in the down position. It was November when rain and snow and cold would pelt me. I knew that that would be a costly repair and there were other electrical problems, a check engine light, beginnings of oil leaks and over 200,000 miles with the same transmission. I thought I should get things repaired until the car broke down completely. I'd been trying to save enough money to buy a new car for a long time, but not enough. I prayed about it, asking God to guide me and thinking the result would be God wanting me to keep this car and keep saving. What I heard in reflection was this: "Why would I want a daughter of mine to be driving a car she can't trust on icy roads in the winter? That's your plan. Not mine." I was able to pay half down on a good used car with a good warranty - just the type of car I had been saving to buy. A few months after that, my Dad was put in the hospital and then assisted living. I never would have been able to travel to see him as he needed with my plan.
I've learned that even my best plans - carried out with no prayer for guidance or clarity - creates more trouble for me than I need. I allow myself sometimes to get too busy to do Step 11 on a daily basis - and my day usually shows it. I've learned that in a One Day at a Time program, I also need to do a one day at a time prayerful seeking of knowledge of God's will for me and the power to carry it out - and more often than that on some days.
-- Edited by grateful2be on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 12:41:41 AM
-- Edited by grateful2be on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 12:42:32 AM
Dear grateful2be
Thank you so much for that wonderful share. I do agree HP does not want his children to suffer. I too deprived myself, thinking that it was the wisest action and being frugal was the way to live. Hp had other ideas. So glad that you listened to HP and found that car that was just right. This program and the Steps are truly miracles in action
Thanks for sharing the journey