Good morning everyone-

Todays reading is a focus on steps 6 (were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character) and 7 (humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings). The writer describes being stuck in a sense: he/she worked the steps but there was always a struggle to keep the focus on self.  The writer tended to focus on two specific people as source of all problems. After continued work in the program the writer realized that he/she had not only been praying to God about a character defect being removed, it was more of an insistence and heightened expectation that it be removed.  The writer saw that instead of attempting control in this way, surrender was the answer and asked God instead to relieve him/her of whatever character defects were obstacles in the writers communication w/ God.

This reading made me think of one of the statements that help diffuse an argument.  The writer describes how surrendering to Gods plan and trusting in it helped pave the way for a more peaceful life.  I thought about the difference between being in disagreement with someone and really digging heels in (no way will I give in to this argument, and what is it we are arguing about again?) and at some point instead of committing to the argument simply say you have a point, or I can see what you mean.  Something that acknowledges the other rather than the insistence to be right.  Todays reading helped me realize that I have sometimes been in that type of struggle on a spiritual level, insisting I have the answers when instead there might be a moment of communication with God/HP when I could say You May have a point. 

Paths to Recovery (p.72): We learn to trust Gods way and pace as we go about our business.

I hope everyone enjoys a peaceful Sunday:)

Mary