Step Five Timetable

The information for Step Five began with a sincere session of spontaneous writing where I asked God to make clear my selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear. This awareness, plus my “official” Fourth Step inventory process (directly out of the Big Book), provided a new awareness of the lurking demons (grosser handicaps) that had kept me drunk year after year.

These destructive fiends freely frolicked in my unapproachable subconscious. They were protected from the Sunlight-Of-The-Spirit of truth by a dense dark and distorted fog of falsehood and deceit. This Fourth Step awareness did not make them disappear. But, at least, I had found honest information for use in Step Five. Someone said, “The truth will set you free,” but I have come to believe there is more to it than simple awareness. I have found that continued action is needed to face and be rid of my now-obvious shortcomings and defects. This was to take place in Step Five.

The Big Book tells me to do Step Five at “first opportunity,” which turned out to be about five minutes after the Step Four session (I love the Big Book timetable!). I confided to my sponsor a detailed revelation of those little demons and devils of conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance, ill temper, and all the rest of it—not only to my sponsor, but to GOD! My sponsor had not the power to relieve me of this new-found ‘bondage of self,’ but luckily the Big Book tells me that God could and would if he were sought! (p. 60) Those dangerous demons cannot survive in the sunlight of God’s Truth! The Fifth Step promises, on page 75, tell us that we now begin to have a spiritual experience.

Well, the realization that God is soon-to remove the very things that blocked me from seeing and acting on the truth-in-drink indeed speaks of a radical inner transformation! I believe the main goal of this vital step is to bring realization of what dominant inner forces have blocking the truth-in-drink.

Following Step Five I knew what imperfections to ask God to remove in Steps Six and Seven. It was very important that I acted before my mind decided to remember only what it wanted to remember. I believe that the Big Book timetable is very important here! We are told to do Step Four ‘at once,’ Step Five at ‘First opportunity,’ review for a short period and ‘then’ (not later) do Step Six, go right into Step Seven ‘when ready.’ My sponsor helped me via the Big Book time-table directions. I haven’t had a drink of booze since!

By Bob S., Richmond, IN