"Continue to Watch. . ."? -- No Way!

This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along. We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past. We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code. (AA, pg. 84)

Ahem!

Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. 

What ever happened to "One Day at a Time?"

Continue to watch for . . .

This final phrase underscores the real contradiction. When I look over this passage now, with the full revelation that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for all of my sins, and the sins of the entire world, and for all time -- I cannot help but shudder.  A lifetime of taking my inventory, of looking over my shoulder, of pressing myself to make sure that in every way I measured up to some standard of goodness, when the Bible clearly teaches that no one is good, anyway, and that no one measures up to any standard.

Martin Luther got to the place where he went to the confessional every twenty minutes.

Pastor Joseph Prince of Singapore admitted that he would stop in between conversations and even in the middle of soccer games to confess every wrong thought, word, or deed that he had committed, so committed was he to "being right" with God!

I have had my fair share of these pains and sufferings, suffering with a conscience so evil, so full of the sense of sin, seared with this hot iron of condemnation, that I could never rest!

Thank God for the wonders of God's grace -- that He has thrown all our sins behind His back, that He does not remember them, that to God, everything is gone, gone, gone forever!

No more taking one's inventory, no more trying to keep oneself clean, for the Blood of Jesus keeps on cleansing us (1 John 1: 7)

May you receive this rest, may you receive this assurance now and forever that before God, you can never be anything but righteous, if you only believe!

"Continue to Watch" . . .? No Way! I'll let the Way, the Truth, and the Life show me, guide me, and give me all of His peace!