“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
After we have shared with God and another human being about our sin, we return home. There we find a place where we can be quiet for an hour, carefully, reviewing what we have done. “We thank God from the bottom of our heart that we know him better”. Reviewing the12 steps carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if if we have ommitted anything, for we are building an arch, through which we shall walk a free person at last. We ask ourselves: “Is our work solid so far? Are the stones properly in place? Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation? Have we tried to make mortar without sand? If we can answer to our satisfaction, we look at step Six. We have emphasized willingness is being indispensable. Are we now ready to have, God remove from us all these things which we have admitted our objectionable? Can He now take them all—everyone? If we still cling to something we will not let go of, we ask God to help us to be willing.”
- Have I made a start on become entirely willing to have Christ transform me by trying to work this step to the best of my ability?
- Is there any fear or pride keeping me from becoming entirely willing to give up my sin* to Him? If so, what exact fear(s) or matters of pride?
What do you feel, or think could happen if you became entirely ready to have Christ transform you? How would you act or behave differently?
Scripture tells us the Holy Spirit of God transforms believers at the moment of repentance and gives them the willingness to do the will of the Father. From there He guides, helps and transforms our hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:18– And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Ezekiel 36:26-27- And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.’
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
*The Hebrew word for “sin,” chet, literally means “missing the mark”—falling short of the goal of being like Jesus in all ways. This idea aligns with a quote from the Big Book of Alcoholic Anonymous, which contrasts “striving for a self-determined objective” with “striving for the perfect objective, which is of God”. Here the perfect objective to follow is Jesus and the way He has shown us to live.
Source: page 75, 76 Alcoholics Anonymous
