12 Steps in 12 Days: A Look at Step 11 of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.)
General Service Conference approved literature lists Step 11 of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous as follows:
“11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand him/her, praying only for knowledge of his/her will for us and the power to carry that out.”
As stated in the step, Step 11 deals mainly with prayer and meditation. Earlier in the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, we dealt with the often difficult task of recognizing a “higher power”. By Step 11, we should already be confident in our belief in some form of “God” or Higher Power”. Our Higher Power can guide us and help us stay sober in times of desperation.

3 Comments


Hello! I am a friend of Bill. This coming July 30th 2009, (unless you invite me for a booze), I will have completed 22 years dry. This miracle began in the Group “Faro de Vida”, (Lighthouse of Life) in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco México back in 1987.
That group was, to me, in that very moment and circumstance,: THE BEST GROUP IN THE UNIVERSE!
Would you do something else for me? I need to copy the St. Francis prayer in Step 11, where can I find it? In English?
Anyone, it doesn´t matter if not an alcoholic, can obtain unexpected benefits from this spiritual, divine program. Thank you very much!
Javier Zamora
Guadalajara, México
Thank you again.
Javier Zamora
Guadalajara, México
Hi Javier –
Here is the english version of The Prayer of St. Francis. It is, however, not found in Step 11. The 11th step prayer is found on page 88 of the Big Book and simply says – “Thy Will Be Done.” The St. Francis prayer you mention is found in the 12 & 12 11th step essay – see the front of the Big Book under “other books” and on the first page of the forward to the 12&12. We need to remember that the 12-steps are not found in the 12&12. They are found only in the Big Book.
Love & Peace…..Lee W.
THE PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace,
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;
to understand, than to be understood;
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.