Step 7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Alcoholics Anonymous page 59
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The directions for Step 7 are in our beloved AA BB in the form of a prayer.
Step 7. “My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. 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. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.” AA BB page 76.
I believe being humble is to be teachable. I would need to be teachable if I am turning my life and will over to God. I have operated many years running the show which never turned out well for me or anyone else. Step 7 allows me to ask God to sort it all out and use me as Higher Power wishes. Today I get to be useful in ways I am still surprised at, but God gives me the desire and strength to do things differently.
In my selfishness I never would volunteer for anything unless I thought it had some value to me. In recovery I learned how to be of service in the rooms and now also outside of the rooms. This shortcoming of selfishness God removes so I can volunteer for fun and for free without getting my ego fed. It’s about just doing the next right thing. Higher Power shows me each day what that’s going to look like as more is revealed.
Currently I am a volunteer foster and transportation person for the Humane Society. I have been blessed to have transported many different animals to their next adventure and given them pep talks. I also am on my 5 foster dog that comes home with me for whatever their need may be. 2 have been hospice dogs that I got to be with till the end of their life and 2 just needed a resting place for rehab. The one I have now is a young pregnant girl who will have 8 or 9 puppies in around 2 weeks.
This is what I get when God is running the show and removing my shortcomings. It’s a life of meaning and purpose. I am committed to my recovery, for I don’t want to miss what’s next. When I was in my disease of food and exercise addiction all my thoughts were of suicide and homicide. Today I have hope if I am willing to work for it.
Thank you Dear God, and so it is, blessed be