The Journey Toward Perfection Begins

Step We Are On: Six, Seven

Page: 76

Chapter: 6 “Into Action”

Subject: The removal of our defects ("casting out")

Defect - 1. Mental, moral, physical imperfection.

~ The Winston Simplified Dictionary Encyclopedic Edition (1938)

• If we have one or more character defects we are unwilling to part with, what do we do?

If we still cling to something we will not let go, we ask God to help us be willing.

 Comment:  If we truly have the willingness to continue our application of these spiritual principles into our lives, then we are ready.

 Willing - favorably disposed, cheerfully ready.~ The Winston Simplified Dictionary Encyclopedic Edition (1938)

The following is sometimes referred to as the “Seventh Step Prayer.” (an invented designation, nevertheless often heard post-co-founders_designation

• WHEN we are ready, what do we do?  (The HOW)

When ready, we say something like this: "My Creator,

• What parts of our lives are we willing to let Him take?

I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad.

• What do we ask Him to remove?

I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows.

• We ask Him to grant us what?

Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding.

• How do we know we have completed this prayer?

Amen."

Comment:  Review the formal prayer on page 63 and notice that is was not concluded. There was no “Amen”.  Notice that the Seventh Step Prayer is concluded.  These may be considered as a single prayer, separated by Steps Four and Five to learn what it is we must be willing to have Him remove and promise Him that we have the willingness to do our part.  We can then ask Him to do His part. [The WHAT]

THIS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE. This is real. The co-authors are not telling readers to seek from God anything unattainable.


Please recall a few pages back where the co-authors had predicted for us:

"Now these are about to be cast out." [1]

Cast - throw or hurl, often violently.

~ The Winston Simplified Dictionary – 1938

They were not kidding. This means that selfishness, dishonesty, self-seeking and fear are going to be removed. 

Something within us is forcibly getting thrown out of us. Evicted.

Afterward, we find that our actions are no longer activated by our own interests without regard to the rights, comfort or happiness of others. We are no longer absorbed with placing our wishes or advantage first.  

We no longer lack a sense of fairness and we become upright, chaste, respectable citizens. We find we are much less subject to an emotional dread of the future, of people or imagined threats — as our need to escape from the knowledge of our own "objectionable" defects diminish as they also shrink. 

We are becoming "moral" once again, free with the blitheness of spirit (blessed) as we once had been as little children — having now a restored concept of what is right, just and ethical. We can discriminate, without self-righteousness, between right and wrong as we are capable of being naturally moved by an intuitive sense of right.

Peace and  Love,

Danny S – RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

http://stepelevencomesalive.blogspot.com/

 [1] “Alcoholics Anonymous”, 4^th edition, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 72:0