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The Step Ten reading can be found here.
Much has already been said about receiving strength,
inspiration, and direction from Him who has all knowledge and power. If we have
carefully followed directions, we have begun to sense the flow of His Spirit
into us. To some extent we have become God-conscious. We have begun to develop
this vital sixth sense. But we must go further and that means more action.
Step Eleven suggests prayer and meditation. We shouldn’t be
shy on this matter of prayer. Better men than we are using it constantly. It
works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it. It would be easy to be
vague about this matter. Yet, we believe we can make some definite and valuable
suggestions.
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day.
Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we
kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at
once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were
we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could
do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life? But we must be
careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would
diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God’s
forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.
On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead.
We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our
thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or
self-seeking motives. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties
with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. Our thought-life will
be placed on a much higher plane when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives.
In thinking about our day we may face indecision. We may not
be able to determine which course to take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an
intuitive thought or a decision. We relax and take it easy. We don’t struggle.
We are often surprised how the right answers come after we have tried this for
a while. What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually
becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and having just
made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be
inspired at all times. We might pay for this presumption in all sorts of absurd
actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time
passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.
We usually conclude the period of meditation with a prayer
that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be
given whatever we need to take care of such problems. We ask especially for
freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no request for ourselves only.
We may ask for ourselves, however, if others will be helped. We are careful
never to pray for our own selfish ends. Many of us have wasted a lot of time
doing that and it doesn’t work. You can easily see why.
If circumstances warrant, we ask our wives or friends to
join us in morning meditation. If we belong to a religious denomination which
requires a definite morning devotion, we attend to that also. If not members of
religious bodies, we sometimes select and memorize a few set prayers which
emphasize the principles we have been discussing. There are many helpful books
also. Suggestions about these may be obtained from one’s priest, minister, or
rabbi. Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they
offer.
As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or
doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action. We constantly remind
ourselves we are no longer running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many
times each day “Thy will be done.” We are then in much less danger of
excitement, fear, anger, worry, self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much
more efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not burning up energy
foolishly as we did when we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.
It works—it really does.