Branching Out

Instead of pruning his defects like wilted leaves, he remembers to look at the tree

Reprinted with permission from Grapevine, June 2013

     The exact nature of our wrong in step 5 is expressed in terms of “defects of character”. In step 6, we offer up to God for removal of our “shortcomings”. Bill Wilson, when asked why he used two different sets of words to define character defects, he said it was to avoid repetition. Some members waste time needlessly trying to find the difference between the two expressions. It doesn't matter what you call them, if you don't change the nature of these defects, then they will change you, in my experience, and not for the better.

     There are two deep emotions driving all the feelings that I have ever had. Each feeling has it's roots in either Love or Fear. I personally don't see any character defects related to love. Even jealousy is related to the fear of loosing love. All shortcomings are connected one way or another to fear.

     I had been asking God (praying) to remove individual defects only to have them show up on another day. This is treating the symptom and not the cause. The symptom may go away for a short time but will return if the cause isn't removed.  Most of the time I have no idea why I do those things, so asking to have the defect removed doesn't work. I have found that I don't have to know the reason why, God does and He has the power to heal the real problem. I now pray that the CAUSE of the defect be removed. I picture my defects as leaves, on a large branch, extending from the trunk of a tree. The trunk is who I really am, the branch is the fear and the leaves are individual defects. Plucking the defective leaf off the branch may help for the moment but eventually another leaf will grow back. Making changes at the branch will affect the entire tree.

     When something works I continue to use it. By asking God to heal the source I have found not only is that one defect removed but many others as well. I have only been praying for the sources to be healed for a few months and can really feel a difference within me. I am so excited about this new method of praying that I felt a need to share it with everyone. It is working for me and maybe, if you try it, it will work for you as well.

                                                                                                                         John L, Citrus County