More on Step Seven of the 12 Steps of Recovery

Continuing discussion of Step Seven of the Twelve Steps of recovery: "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.", here is what AA's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions says about humility:

"...the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.'s Twelve Steps. For without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all......For just so long as we were convinced that we could live exclusively by our own individual strength and intelligence, for just that long was a working faith in a Higher Power impossible...As long as we placed self-reliance first, a genuine reliance upon a Higher Power was out of the question. That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will, was missing."

Some may find this language difficult to accept because we are all taught that self-reliance is a sterling attribute. The point here is this: the addict and alcoholic, according to the Twelve Step approach, which I agree with, must come to understand at a gut level that left to his/her own efforts and will, he/she cannot control use of drugs or alcohol, i.e., that he/she is powerless. Once having internalized this uderstanding the person is in a position to seek spiritual help to abstain from use and begin the recovery journey. Humility does NOT mean a lack of self-reliance and will power and strength, but an acknowledgement of the need for spiritual strength to access that self-reliance and will power and strength.