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bluidkiti · 08-28-2013, 10:09 AM

B. The 2ND Working of the Grudge List: Why?“Why must I change?”
When we were finished we considered it [list] carefully. (65: 3) Begin with silence.
1.) Resentments build us up to a drink.

To conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got.(66: 0)
Sometimes it was remorse and then we were sore at ourselves. (66: 0) [ie: self pity. See He becomes angry, indignant, self-pitying. (61: 1)]
It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. (66: 1)
To the …extent that we permit these [resentments],…we squander the hours.(66: 1) But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. (66: 1)
For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. (66: 1)

2.) If we drink, we die.

We found that it is fatal. (66: 1)
The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. (66: 1)
And with us, to drink is to die. (66: 1)

3.) To live and be free of anger.

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. (66: 2)
For alcoholics these things are poison. (66: 2)

C. What might we learn from the 1ST and 2ND working of the list?

1ST …Set them on paper. (64: 3) Who? How? What? We learned from the First Column of our grudge list that our anger and resentment at who hurt us or did not meet our expectations really does occupy our mind and controls us, and blocks us from the Spirit.

We learned from the Second Column that it is not who the people, institutions, or principles are that make us angry and resentful; it is how they hurt or threatened us. It is not so much who they are but how they ACT. We may begin forgiving ourselves for our own actions and behaviors, and others for their actions, right here.
We learned from the Third Column that it is not who or even how they hurt us, but the way we have habitually chosen to REACT to what they threaten in us which determines whether we are upset or not.
We react by habit.

2ND …Considered it carefully. (65: 3) Why? “Why must I change?” Our present resentment habits lead to self pity, are a waste of time and, if we do not change, we may drink and die. Our own thought-habits lead us to drink.

Now we know why we must change. We go to the 3RD and 4TH working of the grudge list in Session 9, when we are ready, to see where we were responsible.

p. 43

08-28-2013, 10:09 AM	#11
bluidkiti Administrator Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 76,079	B. The 2ND Working of the Grudge List: Why?“Why must I change?” When we were finished we considered it [list] carefully. (65: 3) Begin with silence. 1.) Resentments build us up to a drink. To conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got.(66: 0) Sometimes it was remorse and then we were sore at ourselves. (66: 0) [ie: self pity. See He becomes angry, indignant, self-pitying. (61: 1)] It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. (66: 1) To the …extent that we permit these [resentments],…we squander the hours.(66: 1) But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. (66: 1) For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. (66: 1) 2.) If we drink, we die. We found that it is fatal. (66: 1) The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. (66: 1) And with us, to drink is to die. (66: 1) 3.) To live and be free of anger. If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. (66: 2) For alcoholics these things are poison. (66: 2) C. What might we learn from the 1ST and 2ND working of the list? 1ST …Set them on paper. (64: 3) Who? How? What? We learned from the First Column of our grudge list that our anger and resentment at who hurt us or did not meet our expectations really does occupy our mind and controls us, and blocks us from the Spirit. We learned from the Second Column that it is not who the people, institutions, or principles are that make us angry and resentful; it is how they hurt or threatened us. It is not so much who they are but how they ACT. We may begin forgiving ourselves for our own actions and behaviors, and others for their actions, right here. We learned from the Third Column that it is not who or even how they hurt us, but the way we have habitually chosen to REACT to what they threaten in us which determines whether we are upset or not. We react by habit. 2ND …Considered it carefully. (65: 3) Why? “Why must I change?” Our present resentment habits lead to self pity, are a waste of time and, if we do not change, we may drink and die. Our own thought-habits lead us to drink. Now we know why we must change. We go to the 3RD and 4TH working of the grudge list in Session 9, when we are ready, to see where we were responsible. p. 43 __________________ "No matter what you have done up to this moment, you get 24 brand-new hours to spend every single day." --Brian Tracy AA gives us an opportunity to recreate ourselves, with God's help, one day at a time. --Rufus K. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. --Franklin D. Roosevelt We stay sober and clean together - one day at a time! God says that each of us is worth loving.

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