Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Hey everyone, your favorite Recovery Advocate Vance Johnson here. This week we’re talking about seven of the 12 steps, “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”

If you read my explanation of step six, then this probably feels like a natural progression. After accepting that a Higher Power could take our shortcomings, the only thing left to do is let Him. But for many people recovering from addiction, that’s easier said than done. I know that was the case for me.

Even after I realized that I had a problem so much bigger than myself, and even after I begged God to help me through this pain, it was hard to stand back and actually let him take it from me. Addiction was everything I knew for a long time. And it took a lot of work for me to let all of that go and devote myself to God and His path for me.

Thankfully, I had a lot of help from the people I hadn’t managed to alienate yet. A lot of people literally told me, “You are crazy. You destroyed everything.” And maybe that’s harsh, but more importantly, it was true. I had ruined everything in my life through my own flaws and my own choices. And I needed those people to push me like that, because there was no way to “nice” me into being sober.

But when I finally got the message and was well into my recovery, I made some choices. I stopped being so vain, for one. That meant I decided to stop worrying about how other people saw me and focus on what God thought of me and my actions. I lived off $240 a week and instead of focusing on myself, I started working at a rehabilitation center for people like me. I finally felt like I was feeding my soul by giving God my flaws that had ruined my life, and everything felt so much simpler and easier.

For once, I got to help people instead of tear them down. I felt shocked and humbled that people liked being around me when I wasn’t drinking or using. And I’d encourage everyone with an addiction to try this method; give your Higher Power your failings. Let Him take them from you. I promise you, as scary as that sounds, staying addicted is so much worse.

You Can Recover From Your Addictions

Whether you’re working the seventh step or you’re just starting a program, you can always get help with your recovery. I, and everyone at the Vance Johnson Recovery Center, want to help you achieve the long-term happiness that I’ve been able to find.

Do you want to talk about your recovery? Call our admissions specialists at 1-888-82-VANCE, or reach out online through our contact form. I want you to get help, and so does God. Let’s talk about what our treatment center can do for you.

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Original Author: Vance Johnson