Nothing can be more spiritual than this statement in the 1st tradition of AA. I found it to be a natural substance of recovery. I have found over the years, that no matter how bad things are with me, the moment I encounter another suffering alcoholic face to face, my own needs disappear.
I remember in my 1st year of sobriety, one of my prospects was in hospital suffering from depression. I went up to him and asked him what his problems were. He gave me a list of things, mostly financial. I wrote him out a "blank check." I then went to evening visit him at hospital. He was discharged ready to get on the program. He never took the check from me. He is 23 years sober now. I took common welfare very seriously, because I knew that God wanted me to help my sick brother first, before He would do anything for me. As a sick alcoholic I needed emotional support more than financial support.
My sponsor just rearranged the "furniture" in my life, in effect a thorough 4th step and 5th step. God did the rest in steps 6 & 7, by removing all the broken "furniture" and giving me new ones.
