Spiritual Tradition

Once monthly at our 715 club (small group of 12 step friends working the Serenity Program around coffee at 715am Sunday mornings) we look at the traditions of our specific 12 step programs and we search for any spiritual significance. The exercise grows us spiritually as we share our diverse findings in a variety of scriptures.

As Tradition 8 speaks to the nonprofessional way of Sharing our 12 step programs (outreach in other words or the 12th step), I was lead to research the "Sharing" aspect of the tradition and ended up looking at Hebrews 2: 14-18 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%202:14-18&version=NIV This reading taught me a little more about humility when I thought about God's sacrifice-king of kings to servant of man in order that He could share in our humanity. Causing himself to suffer when tempted, exactly like I do! Seems to me that service of any kind creates freedom. This may be the ultimate sharing-God's death to free me from the fear of death; however, any time we share our life with a potential 12 stepper and he/she can identify, we have shared in her/his pain thereby freeing her/him of a portion of that pain and the spiritual magic begins! Service blesses and blesses!
And the simplicity of Hebrews 13: 16 demonstrates God's pleasure in our sharing/sacrificing http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%2013:%2016&version=NIV

I sense more and more that the greatest gift is to serve and for 12 steppers that means finding the needy and sharing ourselves that the spiritual magic might begin. When motivated by the simple call to serve and accepting that call by faith, I find my state of mind is lifted to heights that cause the worldly urges that generally rule my life to pale into insignificance.

The remedy is "Back To Basics" www.aabacktobasics.com Simply replace alcoholism with your problem (codependency/affected by others or any addiction or vice) and take the 12 steps as described in this simple program. This program teaches us how to connect spiritually and then sends us out to find someone else to experience the same. As two-way prayer works in a life, Sharing becomes contagious and the results speak for themselves!

Let's free each other as we lighten our loads by Sharing our Burdens!