The Sixth Step of Alcoholics Anonymous is, "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character". The original draft of the Big Book used the word "willing" instead of the words "entirely ready". I found it helpful to incorporate both into my Sixth Step, so that I had the willingness to be entirely ready.As an alcoholic, giving up control is awkward and strenuous - I would rather apply some sort of cognitive therapy or behavioral modification to control my defects. But practicing that method is like applying a band-aid to a festering infection, it does nothing. Control of defects is not the snag, but rather that our human defects are not to exist in our behavior, as it is our defects that are keeping us from the perfection that God seeks in us. God seeks for us to be the human being that He created us to be, thereby able to maximize our human potential.
When we are in the will of God our human character defects, which exist only in our human nature, cannot possibly manifest themselves in our behavior.
Yes, I am willing to be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character
I view Step 6 as a test of character for myself. I am making a pledge to be "willing" or "entirely ready" to make a life long commitment to change (removing my character defects) by ridding myself of the root causes of my alcoholism. I did not have an immediate vital spiritual experience. I am still working on it. The same with the removal of my character defects: I am still working on it. I dont have to be perfect at removing my character defects but I do need to make continual progress. That means work, effort and persistency EVERY DAY. I only need to be perfect at not drinking today. I needed to give up the self expectation to be perfect. If I need to be perfect, God will give me that ability because it won't come from my human nature.
ReplyDeleteJim In Bill's Story In the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous Bill says "For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self sacrifice for others, he could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead." When we become the human being that God created us to be than are nature is perfected with all its flaws...Thank you...Armand
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ReplyDeleteThe question became not only was I entirely willing to have my character defects removed. The more fundamental question was and is - am I entirely willing to become me? The me I was born to be. Nothing is more exciting than that thought, and only through the program of recovery precise;y delineated in The Big Book, is that thought able to become reality. I am entirely ready to know and live the truth of me, and to share that truth with you. We are advised that we should hold our heads high in the clouds with Him but that our feet should be planted firmly on the ground. "That is where we will meet our fellow travelers and that is where our work must be done." Am I ready to receive that Gift and am I ready to give it away? By incorporating all Twelve Steps into my life in a way that they have become my life, I am in conscious contact with The Power Within me. And I am ready.
ReplyDeleteMichael by becoming the human being that God created you to be you have maximized your nature and yes you are authentically you...thank you...Armand
DeleteThis Comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteArmand,
For this alcoholic, it is not about me attempting to maximize my nature (the real me) with all of its inborn flaws and follies but instead to abandon it completely to the Person and Power of God. The Divinely inspired and instantaneous segue from step 5 into 6, described by the founders so many years ago, simply articulates the new state of being they found themselves to be in after having completed the previous steps and is a most apropos description of the result of the indwelling love, power and presence of the Holy Spirit of God, who lovingly compels us to continue this new "journey" into the limitless expanse of His Person. Enjoy the following gleaned from my book of daily devotions as authored by Lloyd John Ogilvie, which I humbly suggest to be a most apropos sixth / seventh step prayer to the God of my understanding..
"Lord Christ, when I experience Your fullness in my emptiness, I receive Your mind for my thoughts, Your nature for the formation of my character, Your Person for the shaping of my personality, Your will for the direction of my will and Your power for my discipleship. Each day as I yield my inner life to the formation of Your character in me I am able to face the struggles of my outer life.
Today I can face the three most troublesome struggles of life. First, thank You for helping me overcome the struggle with my human nature. When I admit the impossibility of changing myself with resolutions and self-improvement disciplines, You take control and perform the continuing miracle of making me like Yourself. Second, You free me from the struggle of being humanly adequate. I know I am insufficient for the demands of life, but I also know of Your all-sufficient adequacy. I can't imagine any problem You cannot help me to solve, any person You can't love through me, any challenge You can't give me strength to tackle. Third, I don't have to struggle with worries over what the future holds. I can relax. Whatever I face today will be an opportunity for new dimensions of Your character to be formed in me."
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic