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(a) Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. (b) This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread: the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. (c) But did not we, ourselves, set the ball in rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.

(d) We reviewed our fears thoroughly. (d) We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. (e) We asked ourselves why we had them. (f) Wasn't it because self reliance failed us?   Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn't go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse.

   (g) Perhaps there is a better way- we think so. For we are now on a different basis, the bases of trusting and relying upon God. (f) We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely in Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.

     We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do.    (h) We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. (i) At once, we commence to outgrow our fear. (end big book text)

Workshop Notes:

Page 1. Analyze Our Resentments, Page 1a. Find Faults

Page 2. Review Our Fears, Page 2a Find Faults

Following the example given on page 65 we will need a new piece of paper to review our fears, see d- above

When we review our sex conduct we will again be asked to look for our faults, indicating we should also be looking while reviewing fears.

a- this paragraph suggests that our resentments are based in fear.

b- very powerful and profound information about fears here.

c- a question to keep in mind as we review our fears.

d-task 1. following the example on page 65 we need a new piece of paper were we will list our fears in the "first column" see layout below.

e-task 2. this is the cause, "second column" like page 64. when asked the cause of our resentments "we asked ourselves why we were angry"

f-task 3. "third column" here they want us to discover that trusting our finite selves rather than trusting infinite God is why self reliance failed, see f- next paragraph.

g- after reviewing our fears we are now shown a better way as we were after analyzing our resentments

g- again, two very powerful and profound paragraphs, if we do not use the Big Book for our step 4 we do not get the benefit of these great words

h- here is the prayer for our fears

i- having reviewed our fears, understanding why we have them, asking God to remove them, at once we commence to outgrow them