Thoughts on Recovery – No. 57 – Step10 – Resolutely turn our thoughts – Love and tolerance is our code-Page 84

Turn my thoughts. Resolutely. The definition of resolutely is an admirablely, purposeful,and determined manner. They tell me in the 10th step that I should resolutely turn my thoughts to someone I can help. This is after I have seen my self centered ness appear in the form of resentments, selfishness, dishonesty and fear. Remember when these crop up I am to ask God at once to remove them. Discuss immediately with someone. Make amends. Then turn my thoughts AWAY FROM ME!
I believe this is one of the most powerful lines in our literature. I am the only person who can turn away from my self will. Turn myself to God. Turn myself from my old ideas. Turn away from my self centered fears. Turn from my anger. Turn away when disturbed. When I turn from me I am automatically turning to God. Remember God can and will if He is sought. But He can’t and won’t if I am turned away from Him. This alcoholic is in a battle each day between my will and God’s will for me. Which way am I turning?
Turning away from self will is a powerful act for an alcoholic. The steps are designed to help turn us away from ourselves to God. We begin the process in step 1. That is the hardest turn we take and the other steps are designed to make us turn more readily when we are back in self. When we get to step 10 it is an act of the will that we have learned will produce positive results whenever we do it.
However the suggestion is to resolutely turn. To turn in a admirable , determined, and purposeful manner. The effort I put into turning will produce the result I get from turning. It has to be like turning from a hot flame. By the time I have reached step 10 I have seen the results of my selfishness in steps 4-9. 0n page 83 it says the spiritual life is not a theory. I have to live it. This new design for living only works to the extent that I resolutely turn from my character defects and my sinful nature and toward God.
You hear people say I am trying to stay on the beam every day. When someone starts to fall off the balance beam they don’t turn away from the beam but direct all their efforts turning their body toward the beam.. We are the luckiest people because God is a powerful magnet and we are a little paperclip and if we turn to Him He automatically pulls us close to Him. Warning: the powerful magnet will not work unless the paper clip is turned in the right direction.
The final part of this process is to turn to others I can help. Why? Turning away resolutely from my self centered thinking to helping others is an act of love. If we are practicing love to others we receive love.
Notice it doesn’t say alcoholics it says others. Others for me means the world and the people in it. They follow that instruction on page84 with Love and tolerance is our code. Code is defined here as a system of principles or rules. A moral code of conduct. My code of living. I am turning away from my will and practicing love and tolerance. That is God’s will for me. Then I am in conscious conduct, the world of the spirit, and I am close to him. Remember p63 If I stay close to him He will provide all I need. That may be the greatest promise in the big book. I believe need is everything I need spiritually to live. What can be better than that!