Often my issue is not the wrong I do, but the lies I tell myself about it. How I soften it, explain it away, or pretend it is not so bad. I don't want to call myself names, but simply admit the truth about my defects. Stop ignoring them, but also stop trying to fix them on my own.
This is what Step Ten is for. It invites me to keep checking myself honestly, so I do not slip back into denial. When I allow myself to see the truth, I share it with Someone and with someone, so the change can be continued.
#lent #12steps #step10
quotingMaking amends can easily become false if I turn it into a dramatic gesture that mainly serves my self-image. Real amends are meant to help another person and confirm a real change in me, not let me feel noble, heroic, or relieved for a moment.
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This step asks for thoughtfulness and, very importantly, for someone else’s perspective. There is no single formula, because every situation is different, and what looks brave from the inside may in fact be impulsive, self-serving, or useless in practice.
Amends are not only a burden, but a way of celebrating a new life. Even if I begin simply because I know I should, the deeper point is to grow into a freer way of living, where doing what is right becomes less a performance and more a genuine expression of change.
Alright, enough about amends.
#lent #12steps #step9
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