Ann

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go

Step Seven

Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
--Step Seven of Al-Anon

In the Sixth and Seventh Steps of the program, we become willing to let go of our defects of character - issues, behaviors, old feelings, unresolved grief, and beliefs that are blocking us from the joy that is ours. Then we ask God to take them from us.

Isn't that simple? We don't have to contort ourselves to make ourselves change. We don't have to force change. For once, we don't have to "do it ourselves." All we have to do is strive for an attitude of willingness and humility. All we have to do is ask God for what we want and need, and then trust God to do for us that which we cannot do and do not have to do for ourselves.

We do not have to watch with bated breath for how and when we shall change. This is not a self-help program. In this miraculous and effective program that has brought about recovery and change for millions, we become changed by working the Steps.

Today, God, help me surrender to recovery and to the process by which I become changed. Help me focus on the Step I need. Help me do my part, relax, and allow the rest to happen.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.

Ann

Learning to work the steps has helped me in all areas of my life, not just with my issues of addiction. And learning to "turn it over" to God and pray and ask to be led has helped me more than any other part of this program.

For years I lived in fear of what might happen to my son. My days were consumed with fear and my nights were unsettled and filled with nightmares.

Asking God to remove my fear and asking God each day to take care of my son and then trusting that He would, has made the difference to me between living in my problem and living in the solution.

All I had to do was ask and believe and my life became better. Who knew?

Hugs