Self-Centeredness

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Just for today - January 26

”The spiritual part of our disease is our total self-centeredness." Basic Text p. 20

What is self-centeredness?  It is our belief that the world revolves around us.  Our wishes, our demands are the only ones worth consideration.  Our self-centered minds believe they are capable of getting everything they want if only they would be left to their own devices.  Self-centeredness assumes total self-sufficiency.

We say that self-centeredness is the spiritual part of our disease because the self-centered mind cannot conceive of anything greater or more important than itself.  But there is a spiritual solution to our spiritual malady: the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous.  The steps lead us away from self-centeredness and toward God-centeredness.

We strip away our delusion of self-sufficiency by admitting our own powerlessness and seeking the aid of a Power greater than ourselves.  We acknowledge the bankruptcy of our self-righteousness by admitting we've been wrong, making amends, and seeking knowledge of what's right from the God our understanding. And we deflate our overwhelming sense of self-importance by seeking to serve others, not only ourselves.

The self-centeredness afflicting our spirit can be treated with a spiritual solution: the Twelve Steps.

Just for today: My guidance and my strength comes from a Higher Power, not from my own self.  I will practice the Twelve Steps to become more God-centered and less self-centered.

Comments

Julie's picture

I find that not only does self-centeredness show up this way, but also when I feel guilty or think that things are my fault that are really not mine to begin with. It can swing both ways.

Yogiart's picture

My sponsor always remind me of this qoate "away from self-centeredness and toward God-centeredness". He believes that this is the core issue that heals addiction. I can't agree more. There is so much freedom comes from working the steps.