Step 7 of AA is the action in which the alcoholic asks his or her Higher Power to rid themselves of any and all character defects. More than anything, step 7 teaches the alcoholic about the importance of humility and why it’s needed to stay sober.
Step 7
“Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.”
Official Readings on Step 7
- Page 76 in the Big Book (Chapter “Into Action”)
- Pages 70-76 (“Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions”)
What is Step 7 of AA?
Read the full chapter on Step 7 of AA.
Step 7 is centered on the practicing of humility. Alcoholics live self-centered lives, “all eyes on me!” Therefore, humility must be something to be desired by itself and it will take much work to reverse a lifetime practicing self-centeredness into a new life rooted in humility. Most alcoholics live lives spent largely by running from pain and their problems. When it came time to suffer, the bottle was the solution. Step 7 teaches character-building through suffering.
Through practicing step 7, the alcoholic will learn that humility brings strength out of weakness and as time goes on, the alcoholic will fear pain less and crave humility more than ever. Most of all, humility will bring a profound change in our attitude toward God.
With humility as our guide, it allows us to move out from ourselves towards others and towards our Higher Power. If practicing humility allowed us to remove this deadly desire to drink, so to can it remove our other shortcomings – so long as we have the willingness and desire to do so.
How to Complete Step 7?
There is no official or dead set way to complete step 7. Like for most of the steps, it’s always best to ask your sponsor for guidance. In the Big Book, Bill recommends that you find a quiet spot where you can peacefully read aloud the AA Step 7 Prayer which goes like this:
“My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do your bidding.
Amen.”