Endigar 439 ~ All We Do is Try
From Today’s Daily Reflections;
Can He now take them all — every one? (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 76)
In doing Step Six it helped me a lot to remember that I am striving for “spiritual progress.” Some of my character defects may be with me for the rest of my life, but most have been toned down or eliminated. All that Step Six asks of me is to become willing to name my defects, claim them as my own, and be willing to discard the ones I can, just for today. As I grow in the program, many of my defects become more objectionable to me than previously and, therefore, I need to repeat Step Six so that I can become happier with myself and maintain my serenity.
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I have never been a fan of open-ended missions. When boots hit the ground, you should have a clear picture of the objective so that the troops can eventually come home. Initially, I feared the open-ended task of removing my defects of character.
So what is the objective of Step Six and Seven? Is it to make me feel better? That was my alcoholic way of approaching life. I think it is training. The episodes of instant deliverance help me to recognize and remember the very real presence of Gomu (God of my understanding) in the rooms. The obstacles that require a process help me to develop skills in building character strength. Soldiers train so that they will be effective on the battlefield.
Twelve step usefulness is my goal.
“Your job now is to be at the place 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.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, page 102)
Daily Reprieve 
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