Discussion and Sharing Welcomed!

[CarolD]

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

[CarolD]

A daily action for me.
I do it with prayer.

Thanks for letting me share.

[GlassPrisoner]

This was done immediately after step 6, by myself in my home. (Per my sponsors suggestion)

I used the Step 7 prayer on page 76 of the BB.

Finally, I am rid of all that junk in my closet ! Looking forward to getting my amends list together and starting on that.

[Emimily]

So, this is probably one of the most important things I do every day... become WILLING. I love some of my character defects, as do most alcoholics, but I rock this step like it's going out of style. Granted, I'm still on my 8th step, but I really feel like the more I pray and meditate and give the Big Guy my issues, the better I get. My mom told me that AA makes you "weller than well", and when I can really work this step, I get it.

[sugarbuger]

I have been willing since the get go to have my shortcomings removed. I was disgusted with who I had become. Funny thing happened today. I took a battery of personality and mental aptitude tests for a position I interviewed for. The defects I hated were no longer there per these tests. God works in mysterious ways.

[lanie67]

I have done this formally after my stepwork a couple of times. I am also just stumbling onto the patterns of my codependency and praying to h.p. to have these rescuing behaviors to get me into so much trouble removed. It is a daily struggle right now. I feel kind of silly having just figured these things out about myself, after so much time in recovery, but better late than never I suppose.

[barb dwyer]

My sponsor has askd me to 'sit with' and practice this step for thirty days.

I'm feeling battered about the head with all the defects - LOL

probably why she did it.

[GlassPrisoner]

Congrats barb, you're gettin there !!

[TimmyO]

Yep, like so many others, the 7th step prayer is a part of my daily regimen. I heard a speaker once call it the "Formal terms of surrender", and that it is a continuation of, and conclusion to, the third step prayer. I like that idea and I say both in order in the morning...

Not much else other than to emphasize "... I am now willing that you have all of me, good and bad." I'm asking God to remove the defects. I have no say in the matter. In fact, knowing me, I will hang on to some of my grosser handicaps and rationalize (rational lies) that they are really assets!

So I throw ALL the poop on the wall and let God decide what sticks... (don't mean for that last statement to be offensive or to appear to downplay the seriousness of step seven, it's just the picture that came into my head!)

Thanks again,
Tim

[Tommyh]

step 7,just asking God to remove those things in me that keep me from being of service to him and my fellows,not white wash me and give me a halo.God needs workers,not saints who won`t work

[savoy]

Someone who helped me get started with the steps said if 7 becomes a snag then he goes back to step 4 and looks for a lie, something may have been glossed or missed.

For me 7 was nothing more than a speed bump.

..but it obviously can be a problem or the Big Book wouldn't make a point of overcoming self by praying.

[CarolD]

Prayer and an honest desire for change
were the keys for me on 7.


Thanks for letting me share

[lizw]

I've recently taken inventory with my sponsor (I'm 10 years clean and sober, and the last 18 months of my life have involved a lot of change) so for the last few nights I've have been reading and re reading, steps 6 and 7 in the 12 steps and 12 traditions book.

Last night (in step 7) I read 'fear is the cheif activator of these defects.' I read that sentence about 20 times as I had always thought that fear was one of these defects.

Then what it goes on to say is that (all this is reworded) each persons defects, depends on their personality, and that we must be willing to accept/admit 'our' lot. And the defects the book is refering to is the list of the 7 deadly sins, listed in the 4th or 5th step of the book, lust, envy, sloth, anger....etc

I have never read any of this before. Well I have read it tons of times, but maybe I just never took any notice or understood what it was saying. Today I feel like something in my head has gone 'click.'



Thought I'd share that.

[AW2486]

I’ve been focusing a lot on Step 7 lately. For the longest time I thought it meant we just ask God to remove our defects and they just go away. I learned that is only half of it. For me to truly show humility, once I ask God to remove a defect, I have to take action and do the exact opposite of the defect.

If its dishonesty – I need to act honest
If its fear – I need to have courage
If its impatience – I need to act patient
If its intolerance - I need to act tolerant
If its anger – I need to act calm

I could go on and on.

In every situation we are offered choices on our behavior.
I try with God help to stumble towards what God would want me to be.
If we take the action, we change

[nandm]

[Spawn]

Originally Posted by CarolD

A daily action for me.
I do it with prayer.

Thanks for letting me share.

Me too,.... I find myself falling into old ways when challenged. Luckily this program has made me aware,..and has given me options. The program way works in a much healthier way, my way made things a 100 times worse. Not having too much experience in the spiritual way I continued this journey through church. Eventually I was baptized and took my profession of faith. God is very much so a big part of my new life and I owe it all to AA,....for opening my will to a much happier way of living.

[FanofJoeMcQ]

Luckily I get to keep 'doing' the steps. I took a formal step seven on my knees with sponsor after my fifth/sixth step the very same day. Tomorrow I am attending a step 4 study with a sponsee! I actually look forward to this stuff now. Gives me a mirror and I am sure to see something new about me during this process. Makes it SO much easier to live with myself now.

[Alike]

After the 4,5,6 the main tap roots of my biggest defects of character that had effected my whole life was

1. The inability to site still - I always ran to People, Places and Things and Said the hell with it and walked away instead of understood

2. The fear of embarrassment - what will they think

3. The ability to humbly "ABANDON" myself to God instead of always justifying my existence to others telling the truth what had already happened instead of being honest in the present.

I found that ONLY but for the Grace of GOD their go I.

[DayTrader]

Originally Posted by barb dwyer

My sponsor has askd me to 'sit with' and practice this step for thirty days.

I'm feeling battered about the head with all the defects - LOL

probably why she did it.

LOL..... every TIME I hear, "Mike, I want you to 'sit with' this or that" I just KNOW there's some pain-a-comin. But it's good pain...the kind that culminates in another spiritual experience.......a deepening of my faith and/or a fantastic opportunity that opens up in my life.

I really feel where you're coming from Barb. 6 and 7 have been beating me up for many many months (probably more 6 than 7 but they go hand in hand).




/.partners-in-arms.\

[RandyNose]

I don't think that you need to beat yourself up over your shortcomings, if you find you've made progress that's the right direction. - Willingness is really all that is needed.

[DayTrader]

Actually Randy....it wasn't that. It was my UNwillingness to let go of things that I thought I needed / didn't trust God to provide a suitable alternative.

.....which is really a problem with steps 1 and 2.