Step Eleven
Hello, my name is Katarzyna, and I am an alcoholic. I want to share my experience of applying Step Eleven in my daily life.
At the beginning of my journey to sobriety, my sponsor gave me a list of daily suggestions. These were simple actions, such as reading a passage from the Big Book (pages 86-87) in the morning and evening, or asking my Higher Power for 24 hours of sobriety.
But one of these tasks was extremely difficult for me – kneeling in prayer. I had always thought of myself as a religious person, yet I resisted my sponsor’s guidance. I believed she had no right to influence my conversation with God.
Then I remembered the words of Saint Faustina about “absolute obedience to one’s spiritual guide.” I realised I knew nothing about how to stay sober, but my sponsor, whom I had turned to for help, did. I put aside my pride, knelt, and asked for 24 hours of sobriety.
That’s when I discovered humility. I realized that this attitude opens me to the grace I had been longing for – grace for sobriety. Today, I am free from the compulsion and desire to drink. Every morning, I kneel to ask my Higher Power for 24 hours of sobriety and for guidance in my thoughts and decisions.
I’d also like to share a story from my Step Eleven experience. The Big Book suggests that when we hold a resentment we wish to release, we should pray for the health, well-being, and happiness of that person.
About six years ago, I left a company where I had worked for a long time. I held a strong resentment toward my boss, which made it impossible to stay. One Wednesday evening, I knelt and prayed for all the blessings and graces for her.
By Friday morning, something amazing happened. She called to ask if I would consider returning to work. My willingness to forgive had worked both ways.
Now, I practice this prayer every morning. Each evening, I kneel again to thank my Higher Power for guiding my life – not me.
Katarzyna
Translated by Aleksandra and taken from WyspiAArze, no 4 (59)/ 2021, pages 15 and 16
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