Step Seven - Handing It Over

 STEP SEVEN

Coming to the place where we are ready to humble ourselves before God and hand over our defects of character to Him, giving Him control over the way and the timing of their removal isn’t easy.

Step Seven of the AA program spells this out like this:  We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings. 

Having the courage to welcome this kind of change does not mean that we will never experience some fear. Courage means that we take advantage of the little strength we find within ourselves, that we find some ways to encourage ourselves, and that we stubbornly stick to God’s program for us. It means finding enough strength to take the next step and do the next right thing, trusting that God is working it all together for good in His plan for our lives.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6.   

As part of our prayer in humbly asking God to give us the willingness to let go of our defects of character and then surrendering them to Him, let’s use these trustworthy words from Psalm 51:

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.  Psalm 51:1-4

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.  Psalm 51:7-12

Loving God, forgive us for trying to fix our own lives, for trying to tell you what to do, and for blaming you when things didn’t work out.  Today we come and humbly ask You, by the power of Your Holy Spirit who lives in us, to show us Your will for our lives, your view of our character defects, and Your plan for removing them from our thoughts and interactions with others. 

Help us to be willing to have all our defects of character removed.  Help us to live each day as a new creation, entirely surrendered to your will and your ways.   Amen