The Oxford Group’s 5 C’s (part 4)

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The subject for this episode is the word for (or idea of) a change in our spiritual attitude. This is the fourth in the current group of episodes having to do with the five C’s, as they were called in the Oxford Group. This word is:
 Conversion
 As I have said before, these lists from the Oxford Group, and the order in which they are presented do not necessarily match the order of the 12 steps. This is, of course, because we do not have a comparison of the two programs that is word for word. I would say, however, that these two programs have a more exact comparison in their ideas.

Actually, if it were up to me, I might have placed what we now call steps two and three, after the fourth and fifth steps. But, that’s just me. It is probably a really good thing that I had nothing to do with the organization of the 12 steps! I still believe strongly that these steps were influenced and perpetuated through the love of God.

I believe this fourth word in the list of C’s, conversion, is the precursor for the second step in the 12-step program, “I came to believe that a power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.” There seems to be no doubt in my mind that these two ideas are very closely related. I also believe that the 11th step, “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God”, is the continuation of step number two.

I feel strongly that after seriously and honestly, (at least as honest as I could have been in that final doing of the steps), doing step number one, I really needed some powers to latch onto. After all, I just admitted I was powerless! Not only that, I was admitting that I could not manage my own life! I sure needed something! I needed something that I could understand as being more powerful and certainly wiser than myself. Left to my own devices, I managed my life into a shambles. Fortunately, for me, I still held onto somewhat of a belief in God. I know, as I look at my life in retrospect, that I had it much easier in a way, and someone who didn’t even want to hear the name of God spoken. Of course my podcast is all about the 12- steps, and how they work with God! So I can give you no other advice than to please, please, please, try to find your connection to God and to your Spirit. If you have had a problem with God in the past, please try to work it out. Remember the saying that, If you find yourself further away from God, who moved? All I can say is that for me, salvation has been a result of “turning it over” to God. This is where I find all of my strength, power, and love. It is only through the love of God that I am able to bring my life out from under the basket and, hopefully, let it shine for others.