Step 4

"Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves"

In the sermon, I talked about the reality that our lives are much like an iceberg.  We spend most of our time working on the part that is seen while neglecting the deeper parts that drive us as people, shape our reality of the world, and holds the deep rooted hurts and scars of our past.  Here is the image I shared below:

So here is a question for your pondering:

              Why do you think most people spend most of their energy focused on issues rather than on the deeper things? 

 

If we take this step seriously, we will begin to uncover some hurt, some regrets, some unknown things about who we are...our real self.  Yet until we uncover and prepare to remove these 'defects of character,' as AA calls them (we say 'sin'), our true self that God has created us to be can never be fully unmasked and invited into the Light of God's Presence.

 

If you are wanting to start this inventory, here is a copy of a great tool:

By Fr Bill W.

In 1934, when Bill Wilson joined the Oxford Group and found his sobriety, there were no 4th Step guides until 1938 there were no 12 Steps! What did exist was “a word of mouth program” based largely on the Four Absolutes or the Four Moral Standards the Oxford Group had adopted. These Standards were: Honesty, Unselfishness, Purity, and Love. Group members measured their thoughts, lives and actions against these four moral standards and from these and from other related Group practices emerged the 12 Steps.

HONESTY:

(Is it true or is it false?)

§  How have I been dishonest with others and with myself?

§  Have I lied, manipulated, cheated and stolen from others? List the big ones.

§  Who was hurt by my dishonesty?

§  How did this hurt my relationship with God, remembering that God is Truth?

UNSELFISHNESS:

(How will it affect others?)

§  How has self-centeredness shown itself in my life and who has been hurt by it?

§  Are there people, institutions or principles that still anger me? If so, is there a role I played – either bringing it about or holding on to my resentment?

§  How have I put my own self-interest ahead of God’s plan for me to be of service to others?

PURITY:

(Is it right or is it wrong?)

§  What past or present behaviors, thoughts or feelings make me feel guilty, isolated, or ashamed?

§  What are the areas of my life that I don’t want others to see?

§  Remembering that my sex powers are God given and good, where has my sex life strayed from what I believe God’s will is for me?

LOVE:

(Is it ugly or is it beautiful?)

§  How has fear dominated my life?

§  Has my life been isolated – a lonely life of “taking” rather than “giving”?

Now, with God’s help, am I ready make “love and service” my code?