The Seventh Step Prayer begins by asking God to take “all of me, good and bad.” Now just why would I ask God to take away my ‘good things?’ Then I recall that my sponsor didn’t allow me to list my ‘good things’ in Step Four (That would have been quite a list – Ha!). I would have had to gloat over that long list in Step Four, only to have God take it away in Step Seven.
As years pass I become increasingly aware I really didn’t know how to judge this issue. ‘Good,’ to me, would have meant to winning on the pool table or handball court, or perhaps to quip a clever saying across the bar room. I would never have listed, or even considered, anything like fitting myself to be of maximum service to God and my fellows.
Someone suggested that I had to give-up-on-myself, and this prayer certainly rocketed me in the right direction. If I were to say: God, I can handle this situation, then He is likely to say, “Okay, Bob. Go right ahead!” . . . and under his breath He would snicker, “dummy!” I have to remember that I am now, and will always be, hopeless and helpless over booze. My surrender is my salvation. My weakness is my strength. A thorough in-gestation of this Seventh Step Prayer has allowed me to remain safely convinced of this vital truth through many years.