May 10, 2024 - Readings in Recovery: Step by Step

 

Step by Step

Friday, May 10, 2024

“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” — Step Five

Today, my obligation to the Fifth Step is admitting the “exact nature of (my) wrongs” to three confidants — God, myself and another person. Laboring with judicious honesty in the Fourth is not sufficient to reconcile myself to my character defects: ” …If we skip this vital (Fifth) step, we may not overcome drinking.” The function of Step Five is to attain humility: “Trying to avoid this humbling experience, (we) have turned to easier methods.”  And, as we in recovery have been warned repeatedly, there is no “easier, softer way.” Today, I will avoid the falsehood of thinking I have lost egoism and attained humility in my Fourth Step inventory, even if it is as honest as it can be, and submit to the humility of sharing the nature of my wrongs to another person — after admitting them first to my Higher Power and myself. And our common journey continues. Step by step. — Chris M., 2024