I hear people all of the time talking about learning wisdom, about trying to be more humble, about trying to be grateful, about learning acceptance.
Wisdom, humility, gratitude, and acceptance cannot be learned. They cannot be worked on. They cannot be sought directly with success.
These things are brought about as a result of having a daily conscious contact with God. This happens as a result of working and living the 12 steps.
I can try my hardest to be "better". I can make myself notes, recite endless mantras, read countless books, do positive affirmations till I am blue in the face, but it will all be to no avail until I surrender and take the action of working the 12 steps.
Somewhere in that process God "shows up" and my life is changed forever... All that is required is that I continue to do those things required to maintain that spiritual connection...
Wisdom, humility, gratitude, and acceptance are gifts of God's grace... I cannot earn them. I cannot attain them... They are a natural outflowing of God's Spirit within me...
My human attempts to achieve them and control them, only lead to me blocking them by seeking the Fruit of the Spirit, instead of the Spirit itself...
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My favorite passage in this post is "My human attempts to achieve them and control them, only lead to me blocking them by seeking the Fruit of the Spirit, instead of the Spirit itself…" This is so very true and easily a deterrent if misunderstood. It is as you said it so clearly "The Spirit itself" and "A gift of God's grace" Please Mr. Jerry don't ever stop posting things like this! For it says in the Book my recovery is contingent upon Spiritual Maintenance. This, my friend, is the Spiritual equivalent to a Scientific condensed four course meal into pill form, with a recommended glass of water from the River of Life to wash it down with. God bless and be with you fella! See you soon.
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