Become Willing to Ask God To Remove Character Defects
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Alcohol abuse is a serious and devastating problem that affects millions of individuals around the world. It is a disease that can lead to physical, emotional, and spiritual destruction. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a program that has helped many individuals recover from alcohol addiction and find a new way of living.
Step 6 of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program is an important step in the journey toward sobriety and personal growth. Step 6 AA involves becoming willing to have one’s character defects removed, which can be a critical part of recovery from alcoholism.
For help with an addiction, to learn more about AA and the 12 steps, or to find out how Rehabs Of Armerica can help, keep reading.
What is The Purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous Step 6 AA?
One of the most important steps in the AA program is Step 6. It involves taking the fearless and searching personal inventory that you did in the previous steps and becoming willing to let go of your defects by asking a higher power to remove them.
The willingness to ask God or a higher power to remove character defects is a crucial aspect of recovery from alcoholism. It requires humility, honesty, and a willingness to let go of old ways of thinking and behaving. By becoming willing to let go of these harmful behaviors and thoughts, individuals with alcoholism can begin to transform their lives and develop new patterns of behaviors that support sobriety and personal growth.
As with all steps of the AA program, Step 6 requires commitment, effort, and support from a sober community. By working the Twelve Steps and connecting with a higher power, individuals with alcoholism can overcome character defects, manage cravings, and find lasting recovery from addiction.
Everyone must follow their own journey, but keep a positive attitude and do the hard work and you will have your spiritual awakening that leads to noticeable change.
You Just Have To Be WILLING
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program does not specifically suggest individuals ask God or their higher power to remove their character defects in Step 6. Instead, it focuses on becoming willing to have these defects removed. The step states, “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
For some individuals in AA, the idea of a higher power may be synonymous with the Christian God, while for others, it may be a more general sense of spirituality or a connection to the universe. Regardless of one’s specific beliefs, the emphasis of Step 6 is on cultivating a willingness to change and grow.
What Are Character Defects?
Those in recovery from addiction often hear the term “character defects” in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings and any other 12-step program. But what are they? How do they manifest? And how can they be addressed during the recovery process?
In Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), character defects refer to negative behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that can be harmful to oneself or others.
These defects and shortcomings are often seen as contributing factors to addiction and can hinder an individual’s ability to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. They typically prevent a person from quitting drinking for good.
Common Examples of All These Defects of Character
Character defectscan take many forms and can vary from person to person. Some common examples of character defects in AA include:
- Selfishness: A focus on one’s own needs and desires to the exclusion of others.
- Dishonesty: A lack of being completely honest in one’s actions or communication with others.
- Resentment: Holding onto anger or bitterness towards others.
- Fear: An overwhelming sense of fear or anxiety that can prevent human beings from taking action or living their lives fully.
- Arrogance: A sense of superiority or entitlement that can lead to a lack of empathy or compassion towards others.
- Perfectionism: A constant striving for perfection that can lead to unrealistic expectations and a sense of disappointment or failure.
- Procrastination: Putting off tasks or responsibilities until the last minute, often leading to stress and anxiety.
- Impatience: A lack of patience or tolerance towards oneself or others.
Identifying and addressing each character defect is an important part of the AA 12-step program. By recognizing these negative patterns of behavior and thought and addictive behavior, individuals with an alcohol problem can work to overcome them and develop new, healthier ways of living instead of falling into old habits.
Tips To Working Step 6
As you now know, The Sixth Step of the 12-step program (AA) is to “be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” Step 7 follows up with having humbly asked God or a higher power to help us do this. It’s a big task, but it doesn’t have to be an impossible one. Here are some tips on how to make Steps 6 and 7 work for your recovery journey.
Create an Action Plan for Change
Start by writing down all your wrongdoings, faults, and shortcomings that you need to work on, this can also be based on your work on Step 4 of AA. Then create an action plan for yourself that includes practical things you can do in order to help change those character faults and shortcomings.
These steps could include things such as attending meetings or even AA chat rooms regularly, getting support from friends and family members in recovery, or not telling lies. Whatever action steps you decide on, make sure they are achievable and measurable goals so that you can track your progress every step of the way.
Forgive Yourself
We are often too hard on ourselves when it comes to our recovery journey – beating ourselves up over mistakes we’ve made or berating ourselves for not making enough progress yet. But this negative self-talk only hinders our growth and development in recovery, so try not to get too caught up in negative thought patterns.
Instead, practice self-compassion and remind yourself that everyone makes mistakes now and then – including yourself.
Keep Moving Forward
No matter how many times you “mess up” or face a setback in your recovery journey, never forget that there is still hope. You will not have all your defects immediately taken away; this is one of the most common misconceptions, and it’s more complicated than that. It will take a longer period of time and it will take practice to address your flaws and make changes.
Do not let adversity prevent you from achieving sobriety; use it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and keep pushing forward each day until you are able to quit drinking for good and get rid of your harmful behaviors.
Remember that: ‘when wrong, promptly admitted to our mistakes’ is another core part of Step 6 AA and can help you process shortcomings and move past them more successfully!
Celebrate small victories no matter how insignificant they may seem – such as going without drinking for another day or having meaningful conversations with others in recovery – as these successes will continue motivating you towards the ultimate goal of sobriety.
Reach Out Now for Help with Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Struggling with addiction is a difficult and often lonely experience. It’s not as easy as “just simply stop drinking.” If you or someone you know needs help, it’s important to take the first step and get the necessary support. Finding the right addiction treatment can be challenging, but there’s an easy way to get started: contact Rehabs Of Armerica.
With Rehabs Of Armerica, you can easily access comprehensive information about available treatment options in your area so that you can make an informed and firm decision about which type of program would work best for you or your loved one’s unique situation.
Additionally, we can answer any questions you have about understanding AA and help you get connected with 12-step meetings near you.
Don’t wait any longer – contact us today and start your journey toward long term recovery.
All calls are confidential, so please reach out in confidence to get help now!
I grew up in beautiful southern California and I find my spirituality in nature and love the outdoors. I also enjoy surfing and snowboarding. My recovery is extremely important to me, and I cherish every day I get to spend on this Earth sober.
