September 8 Rebellion We need not lose faith when we become rebellious. Basic Text p.34 Many of us have lived our entire lives in revolt. Our initial response to any type of direction is often negative. Automatic rejection of authority seems to be a troubling character defect for many addicts. A thorough self-examination can show us how we react to the world around us. We can ask ourselves if our rebellion against people, places, and institutions is justified. If we keep writing long enough, we can usually get past what others did and uncover our own part in our affairs. We find that what others did to us was not as important as how we responded to the situations we found ourselves in. Regular inventory allows us to examine the patterns in our reactions to life and see if we are prone to chronic rebelliousness. Sometimes we will find that, while we may usually go along with what is suggested to us rather than risk rejection, we secretly harbor resentments against authority. If left to themselves, these resentments can lead us away from our program of recovery. The inventory process allows us to uncover, evaluate, and alter our rebellious patterns. We cant change the world by taking an inventory, but we can change the way we react to it. Just for today: I want freedom from the turmoil of rebelliousness. Before I act, I will inventory myself and think about my true values. pg. 262 Basic Text p.34 “This is a step of willingness. That is the spiritual principle of Step Six. It is as if to say that we are now willing to move in a spiritual direction. Being human we will, of course, wander.” ”Rebellion is a character defect that spoils us here. We need not lose faith when we become rebellious. The indifference or intolerance that rebellion can bring out in us has to be overcome by persistent effort. We keep asking for willingness. We may be doubtful still that God will see fit to relieve us or that something will go wrong. We ask another member who says, Youre right where youre supposed to be. We renew our readiness to have our defects removed. We surrender to the simple suggestions that the Program offers us. Even though we are not entirely ready, we are headed in that direction.” “Eventually faith, humility and acceptance replace pride and rebellion. We come to know ourselves. We find ourselves growing into a mature consciousness. We begin to feel better as willingness grows into hope for relief. Perhaps for the first time, we see a vision of our new life. With this in sight, we put our willingness into action by moving on to Step Seven.” re[bel[lious 7ri bel$y!s8 1resisting authority; engaged in rebellion 2opposing any kind of control; defiant 3difficult to treat or handle See antisocial, turbulent re[sponse 7ri sp9ns$8 1something said or done in answer; reply or reaction See action, behavior, enrollment, feeling, gratitude, heart, impression, justification, life, reaction, reception, retort, sensation, thrill, di[rec[tion 7d! rek$*!n; also dj-8 1the act of directing; management; supervision 2[usually pl.] instructions for doing, operating, using, preparing, etc. 3an authoritative order or command re[ject 7ri jekt$; for n. rc$jekt8 1to refuse to take, agree to, accede to, use, believe, etc. 2to rebuff; esp., to deny acceptance, care, love, etc. to (someone) au[thor[ity 7! 0Cr$! tc, -09r$-8 1a) the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action, or make final decisions; jurisdiction b) the position of one having such power !a person in authority risk 7risk8 1to expose to the chance of injury, damage, or loss; hazard !to risk ones life 2to incur the risk of !to risk a fight [The basis of a chance] — Syn. chance, gamble, venture, opportunity, prospect; see also chance 1, uncertainty 3. re[ject 7ri jekt$; for n. rc$jekt8 1to discard or throw out as worthless, useless, or substandard; cast off or out 2to rebuff; esp., to deny acceptance, care, love, etc. to (someone) !a rejectedchild rejection — Syn. denial, dismissal, rebuff, brushoff*; see refusal. See disapproval, disqualification, doubt, elimination, exception, exclusion, nonacceptance, nonconformity, objection harbor resentment - See resent to feel or show displeasure and hurt or indignation at (some act, remark, etc.) or toward (a person), from a sense of being injured or offended values See ethics — Syn. rules of conduct, morality, mores, morals, moral code, decency, integrity, moral conduct, social values, moral practice, principles, values, standards, code of right and wrong, natural law, honesty, goodness, honor, social laws, categorical imperative, the Golden Rule, bushido (Japanese). See behavior September 8th “A thorough self-examination can show us how we react to the world around us.We can ask ourselves if our rebellion against people, places, and institutions is justified.” “We find that what others did to us was not as important as how we responded to the situations we found ourselves in.” “The inventory process allows us to uncover, evaluate, and alter our rebellious patterns. We cant change the world by taking an inventory, but we can change the way we react to it.” “To despise legitimate authority, no matter in whom it is invested, is unlawful; it is rebellion against Gods will.” POPE LEO XIII, Immortale Dei (On the Christian Constitution of States), 1 November 1885 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” PAUL, Romans 13:1-2 “Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” William James (1842 - 1910) “Let me know myself, Lord, and I shall know Thee.” ST. AUGUSTINE (354-430 A.D.), Soliloquies, 2, in Whitall N. Perry, comp., A Treasury of Traditional Wisdom, p. 860, 1986 “Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement.” BALTASAR GRACIÁN, The Art of Worldly Wisdom, 69, 1647, tr. Joseph Jacobs, 1943 “Unless we can bear self-mortification, we shall not be able to carry self-examination to the necessary painful lengths. Without humility there can be no illuminating self-knowledge.” ARNOLD J. TOYNBEE, A Study of History, 12.60, 1961 Quotes of the Day Faith: belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel. Dwight Lyman Moody Faith is reason grown courageous. Sherwood Eddy Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. Ambrose Redmoon Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway. Dr. Robert Anthony The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage. Thucydides Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better. Albert Camus The true value of a human being can be found in the degree to which he has attained liberation from the self. Albert Einstein Its not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. Roy Disney
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 19:51:45 +0000
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