The 12 Steps of AA - Step 6

Step 6. "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."

I told Malcolm at our home group AA meeting that I was working on Step 6. This is the step in which we admit we're ready to have God remove our 'defects of character'. Malcolm immediately told me that the book, "Drop the Rock", was a discussion of Step 6 and 7. I'd just read the Big Book and 12 Steps and 12 Traditions on Step 6 and 7 so appreciated hearing there was another commentary.

"I got it at Banyan Books," he told me. The next day I rode my motorcyle over to 4th and found a copy for myself. I'm reading it now. That night I still had it on me when I saw Malcolm again.

"Malcolm," I said, "I've found this really good book on Step 6 and 7 I think you'd be interested in it."

Naturally he laughed. The guys were out side the Vancouver Detox waiting to go in to hold a meeting for the residents. Others looked at the book. I thought it Godly that Malcolm would know this book and I'd be able to get it just as I was considering this whole matter of 'defects of character'.

I appreciated from the Big Book and the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions that the Alcohol is only a sympton of the disease. The "ism" of alcohol-ism is the character defects. These have been described in part in Christianity as 'mortal' and 'venial' sins, greater and lesser. Fear and anger, self centeredness, envy, avarice, gluttony, lust, just to mention a few.

Doing Step 6 is a good excuse to watch the movie "Seven" again.

God's grace is that he wants us to be 'joyous and free'. We have through our defects of character interfered with God's plan for us. If we have faith and trust in God then we can sit back and enjoy the ride without interfering with his working out the best solution for our lives. It sounds quaint but when I look back on my life I see I've 'given up" and "choked" and lacked faith often. I'm been prideful and generally fallen fall short of what I wanted for myself. I've not been all I could have been as a son, a brother, husband and friend. I want to be a better person and am asking God to help me. I'm ready. It's a life long process though, one day at a time.