Step 07

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

1. Primary principle(s): humility, honesty, willingness, surrender
2. Other principles: trust, understanding, freedom, acceptance, faith, equilibrium, desperation

Readings:

• Big Book p. 76
• Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions pp. 70-76
• “Step Seven: an Adventure in Humility”, July 2005 AA Grapevine
• “Step Seven: a Lifetime Supply”, July 2005 AA Grapevine
• “We Are Not a Bunch of Religious Fanatics!”, November 1995 AA Grapevine

I used to feign a good “humble” when it would serve my purposes for either control of another (like, using the self-deprecating humor that might impress a girl in a bar), or when I would seek praise that I was afraid you wouldn’t offer (”Oh, that heroic effort that I worked so hard to accomplish a deadline on a project was really nothing…”).

True humility, on the other hand, was perilously close to the humiliation that I knew would be had if you really knew the “truth” about me - how seriously deficient I knew myself to be.

I have been to meetings where long-timers have opined that “…the 7th step isn’t about humility…” To a certain extent, I might agree with them. In fact, I think (OK - my opinion) is that the whole program is about attaining and living in proper relationship to God and my fellows - e.g. humility.