At many AA meetings, we hear a quote that resonates with our journey: “We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.” I have to remind myself that I can only claim progress, not perfection. Progress is not a goal; it is a journey.
This is often unsatisfying for me. I look for the reward, the endpoint, and the goal. Otherwise, I feel like I am on a never-ending treadmill. I have consciously and unconsciously said, “If I can’t achieve the goal, why bother?” followed by, “Yeah, yeah, progress; whatever.” These are familiar emotional conclusions, and they lead to spiritual ennui.
The great football coach, Vince Lombardi, had something to say about this problem.
His discipline and work ethic were legendary. He knew that hard work meant better play, and he understood the importance of progress. He talked about progress to perfection but framed it as a goal, describing a state that could be achieved. He told his players, “We pursue perfection, knowing we will not find it, and we achieve excellence along the way.”
While I am on a spiritual journey and will not become spiritually perfect, I can discover excellence along the way.
As I progress, once in a while, I can feel spiritual excellence. Coach Lombardi demanded football exercises; my Program includes spiritual exercises. Wind sprints and running patterns are football exercises. Habits of prayer and meditation and regular inventories are spiritual exercises. Both are practice activities, outside games, and outside day-to-day life. With these practices, the Packers found excellence on the way to football perfection, and I find excellence along the way to spiritual perfection.
If I feel ennui with the thought of never-ending progress, I can stop and acknowledge that, with practice, I have reached a new standard of excellence. This day, though I am not perfect, I can be spiritually excellent.
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My way of reminding myself that it is progress towards perfection is to reflect on my journey using AA co-founder’s summation:
TRUST GOD = Step 1; Step 2 Step 3
CLEAN HOUSE = Step 4;5;6;7;8;9 and10;11
HELP OTHERS = Step 12
When on a journey to the Unknown and Unseen” it is helpful to correct course.To alter course in stormy weather it is absolutely essential to use a “NORTH STAR”.
[ The North Star or “Trust God Clean House Help Others” can be pointed at …but just like in real life the “North Star” is never reached…]
I must discuss the details of this course summation using my navigator [my sponsor] on a regular basis.
Pointing at the North Star is using the summation TRUST GOD CLEAN HOUSE HELP OTHERS
The “GPS system” involves the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions
if you want an understanding of “the Mother Ship” check out the 12 Concepts
Thanks for the supplementary