Daily Reflections
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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Daily Reflections
*~*~*~*~*^Daily Reflections^*~*~*~*~*
THE "NUMBER ONE OFFENDER"
Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 64
As I look at myself practicing the Fourth Step, it is easy to gloss over the wrong that I have done, because I can easily see it as a question of "getting even" for a wrong done to me. If I continue to relive my old hurt, it is a resentment and resentment bars the sunlight from my soul. If I continue to relive hurts and hates, I will hurt and hate myself. After years in the dark of resentments, I have found the sunlight. I must let go of resentments; I cannot afford them.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
THE "NUMBER ONE OFFENDER"
Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 64
As I look at myself practicing the Fourth Step, it is easy to gloss over the wrong that I have done, because I can easily see it as a question of "getting even" for a wrong done to me. If I continue to relive my old hurt, it is a resentment and resentment bars the sunlight from my soul. If I continue to relive hurts and hates, I will hurt and hate myself. After years in the dark of resentments, I have found the sunlight. I must let go of resentments; I cannot afford them.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,539
There is no “getting even”. It’s not an equation that can be balanced like that.
It’s basic math.
1 wrong
+ 1 wrong
= 2 wrongs
I have always found the phrase “Resist not evil” (Jesus of Nazareth, Mathew 5:39) interesting. It reminds me that when I return one harmful action for another , harm itself persists. Via my action it is perpetuated.
But when I make the choice not to return a harmful action, I take some control of the process. This is not a sign of weakness, but of strength.
It’s basic math.
1 wrong
+ 1 wrong
= 2 wrongs
I have always found the phrase “Resist not evil” (Jesus of Nazareth, Mathew 5:39) interesting. It reminds me that when I return one harmful action for another , harm itself persists. Via my action it is perpetuated.
But when I make the choice not to return a harmful action, I take some control of the process. This is not a sign of weakness, but of strength.
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