Step Seven: We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
Step Seven is critical to the cleansing process and prepares us for the next stages of recovery. In the first six steps we became aware of our problems, looked at ourselves honestly, revealed hidden parts of ourselves, and became ready to change.
Step Seven is the opportunity for God to remove the hidden areas that need changing. If you're anything like me, your list is long and painful to reflect on. That pain may bring us to our knees, but what better place to begin with the Lord than in prayer.
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. ~ 1 John 1:9
Don’t
hold anything back. It’s only in surrendering everything to God that we
will find healing and freedom. With our inventory list in hand, we prayerfully
give each item to God. This is the painful beginning we must experience to
reach the peace and joy we seek.
The
list of shortcomings may cause us to dwell on our self. Meditating on
Christ's presence in our life helps change our state of mind. Soon we begin to
care more for others and put our self in proper perspective. As we accept who
we are today we find joy in becoming the person God wants us to be in the
future.
To
humble ourselves we must see ourselves as God see us. This can be difficult
when our entire life has been spent seeing our self as a worthless piece of
dirt. By reading and meditating on God's word regularly we will find the value
God sees in us and His plan for our life.
It
takes faith and courage to ask God to remove our shortcomings. We must
trust that God hears us when we pray and believe He wants to answer us. We may
not feel or sense an immediate change, but in thankful expectancy we go forward
confessing that God has heard our request and has begun the change in us. In time
change will manifest itself visibly.
Empty
of self, surrendering to God’s will and serving others; we fulfill His plan for
our life.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew
a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your
Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a
willing spirit, to sustain me. -- Psalm 51:10-12
Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
The Twelve Steps for Christians
Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery by Jamee Rae Pineda and Sherry Colby
Recovery: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice by Rami Shapiro