Once we are entirely ready to have our character defects removed, many of us are entirely ready! Ironically, that's when the trouble really starts. The more we struggle to rid ourselves of a particular defect, the stronger that shortcoming seems to become. It is truly humbling to realize that not only are we powerless over our addiction, but even over our own defects of character.
Finally, it clicks. The Seventh Step doesn't suggest that we rid ourselves of our shortcomings, but that we ask our Higher Power to rid us of them. The focus of our daily prayers begins to shift. Admitting our inability to perfect ourselves, we plead with our Higher Power to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. And we wait.
For many days, our program may stay on Step Seven. We may experience no sudden, total relief from defects--but we often do experience a subtle shift in our perceptions of ourselves and others. Through the eyes of the Seventh Step, we begin to see those around us in a less critical way. We know that, just like us, many of them are struggling with shortcomings they would dearly love to be rid of. We know that, just like us, they are powerless over their own defects. We wonder if they, too, humbly pray to have their defects removed.
We begin evaluating others as we have learned to evaluate ourselves, with an empathy born of humility. As we watch others, and as we keep watch on ourselves, we can finally say, "I understand."
=
Just for today: God, help me see through the eyes of Step Seven. Help me understand.
We just use God for convenience. Consider it "Good Orderly Direction" for now..... It can be the people in the rooms, the 12 steps themselves, or just about anything other then ourselves. All it has to do is be ...loving, caring and greater then ourselves. I mean.....we turned our lives over to the power of drugs, didn't we??
What we do is admit we're powerless over our addiction...and that we can't fix ourselves. No amount of my effort ever changed things for me.
Realize even those who had a belief in G-O-D when getting here many found the word hard to deal with. For many the word evoked a condemning vengeful full of thou shalt nots evoking feelings of worthlessness which had to be over come and replaced with a totally new understanding of a loving forgiving Higher Power Greater Than Ourselves. Personally when I got here I felt lower in life than an amoeba. I vividly remember that it wasn't until 5 years Clean in Recovery that I actual came to believe in my core being that I actually deserved this better way of life NA was offering through the power of a Higher Power greater than myself.
__________________
Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
