Prayer and meditation page 86
Our 11th step directs us to improve our conscious contact with God through prayer and meditation. I have listed some definite and valuable suggestions from our basic text, the big book of alcoholics anonymous.
each night
When I retire at night:
I constructively review my day (that takes a prayer).
1. Was I resentful?
2. Was I selfish?
3. Was I dishonest?
4. Was I afraid?
5. Do I owe an apology?
6. Have I kept something to myself which I should discuss with another person at once?
7. Was I kind and loving toward all?
8. What could I have done better?
9. Was I thinking of myself most of the time?
10. Was I thinking of what I could do for others,
11. Was I thinking of what I could pack into the stream of life?
I must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection - that will diminish my usefulness to others.
After making my review I ask for God's forgiveness and ask what corrective measures should be taken.
Finish with a prayer - Dear God – thank you.
(Review should not take more than a couple of minutes otherwise I am drifting into remorse, worry or fantasy.)
each morning
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, (Dear God, please direct my thinking)
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. (Dear God, please divorce my thinking from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives)
Under these conditions I can employ my mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave me brains to use.
My thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane when my thinking is cleared of wrong motives.
some warnings and what to look for:
In thinking about my day I may face indecision.
I may not be able to determine which course to take.
Here I ask God for inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. (Dear God, please allow me inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision)
We relax and take it easy.
We don't struggle.
so more prayer for each morning might be started like this:
Dear God, please direct my thinking and please divorce my thinking from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. Please allow me inspiration, an intuitive thought or a decision. Please allow me to relax and stop struggling so that I may see and do your will.
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