Gifts From God – Step 12 Compassion (Part 1)

Send us a text

The best definition that I have found for the word “compassion” is the following: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings and misfortunes of others. However, in this definition just to the phrase “sympathetic pity”. When I feel sympathy or pity for someone, it almost seems like an ego thing. While I am saying, on the one hand, I feel sympathetic toward that person, I’m thinking, on the other hand that I am glad it isn’t me! It seems almost like there is a hint of ego in there somewhere. So, for our definition of compassion, I would choose the word empathy over sympathy. To me, empathy’s inns to be my ability and desire to somehow put myself in that other persons place. It is more a feeling of, “Yes, I understand, as much as I possibly can, what you are feeling and what you’re going through”.

In this first episode about the 12th step and the gift of compassion, I’ll speak about the initial for is in the step, “Having had a spiritual experience…”, This was the phraseology of the 12th step in the first edition of the steps, as well as my preferred format. It has since been changed to, “Having had a spiritual awakening…” It’s my contention that over the years, those in control of the printing of the 12 steps decided to present them in a way that might be more inclusive to those who have a difficult time with the concept of God.