Step Book

[root]

Step Book - Step 6:  

"We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character." 

(excerpt) - I.

This step is the one that transforms a teenager into a person, as stated by a respected church figure who is also a great friend of A.A. He went on to explain that anyone who can willingly and honestly—without any reservations—attempt the Sixth Step regarding all their character defects has grown spiritually and deserves the name of an adult, as they earnestly strive to mold themselves in the image and likeness of their Creator.

Of course, when it comes to the often-debated question of whether God can—and under certain circumstances, will—free us from our character defects, almost every A.A. member answers yes without hesitation. For us, this is not a theory at all, but one of the most significant facts of our lives, often justified in the following way:

"I lost, there's no denying it. My willpower was powerless against alcohol. Neither changes in my environment, nor the efforts of my family, friends, doctors, or clergy made any difference. I simply couldn’t stop drinking, and it seemed that every human help was futile. But when I became willing to do a thorough housecleaning and asked my understanding of a Higher Power to remove my defects, the compulsion to drink ceased. It was simply weeded out of me."

Such statements can be heard daily at A.A. meetings around the world. Clearly, the sober members of A.A. have been granted freedom from this stubborn and potentially fatal obsession. Indeed, in the strictest sense of the word, every A.A. member was "entirely ready" for God to root out the insanity of alcohol from their lives. And God did exactly that.  
[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 64]

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Step Book - Step 6  

(excerpt) - II.

If we have been granted complete freedom from the obsession of alcohol, why should we not be able to achieve complete liberation from all other difficulties or defects in the same way? This is the mystery of our lives, and perhaps the complete answer lies only with God. Still, at least the partial answer is obvious to us. [...]

Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it is not surprising that we often allow them to run rampant beyond their intended purpose. When they urge us toward blind rushes, or when we stubbornly demand more satisfaction or pleasure than is possible or rightfully ours, we have reached the point where we deviate from the measure of perfection set for us by God. This is the measure of the severity of our character defects, or, if you prefer, our sins.

If we ask, God will certainly forgive our shortcomings. But in no case will He wash us clean as a whistle, nor will He keep us that way without our cooperation. Therefore, we must work on ourselves. He merely asks us to strive to the best of our ability to advance in building our character.

Thus, in formulating the Sixth Step—"We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character"—A.A. shows the best attitude we can adopt to tackle this lifelong task. This does not mean that we can be rid of our character defects to the same degree that we were of the compulsion to drink back then. Perhaps we can be free of some, but with most, we must settle for patient progress. The key phrase "entirely ready" emphasizes the fact that we are striving for what we can do to the best of our ability.

[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 66]

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Step Book - Step 6  

(excerpt) - III.

"We were entirely ready" emphasizes the fact that we strive for what we are capable of to the best of our knowledge. How many of us possess this degree of willingness? None of us has it in its entirety. The best we can do is to strive for it with all the honesty we have. Even the best among us realize that there is always a pitfall when we say, "No, I can't give this up yet." But we step onto even shakier ground when we exclaim, "I will never give this up!" Our instincts can be that strong. No matter how far we have come, there remain desires within us that resist the grace of God.  
Some who believe they have made good progress might dispute this. So let's think a bit deeper. Practically everyone wants to rid themselves of their most glaring and harmful defects. No one wants to be so proud that they are called boastful, nor so greedy that they are labeled a thief. No one wants their anger to lead to murder or their lust to lead to rape, nor do they wish their gluttony to make them ill. No one longs to be tormented by envy or paralyzed by sloth. Of course, most people do not suffer to such an extreme degree from these flaws.  
We, who have freed ourselves from these extremes, tend to pat ourselves on the back. But can we really do that? After all, was it not our own interest that saved most of us? It does not take much willpower to avoid extremes that are bound to have repercussions. But when it comes to milder manifestations of these defects, how do we stand?  
We must recognize that we genuinely enjoy some of our defects. We really love them.  
[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 67]

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Step Book - Step 6  

(excerpt) - IV.

We must recognize that we genuinely enjoy some of our defects. We really love them.  
Who doesn’t feel a bit—perhaps much—superior to others? Is it not true that we gladly hide our greed under the guise of ambition? To love lust seems absurd. Yet how many people carry love on their lips and truly believe what they say, but deep in their souls harbor lust? Even if they remain within accepted bounds, they must admit that they are ready to disguise their imaginary sexual adventures as romantic daydreams.  
Self-justifying anger can also be quite enjoyable. Perverse as it may seem, we can find satisfaction in knowing that many are a burden to us, as this gives us a feeling of superiority. Gossip spiced with anger, a polite form of slander, can also provide satisfaction. In these moments, we do not intend to help those we criticize; rather, we seek to trumpet our own perfection.  
If our gluttony is not destructive, we even have a refined term for it: "we console ourselves." The world we live in is full of envy. More or less, everyone is infected by it. This flaw can provide some warped yet definite satisfaction. Otherwise, why would we waste so much time longing for things that are not ours instead of working for them? Or why do we desire qualities we can never possess instead of trying to come to terms with the facts?  
How often do we work at a rapid pace just so we can laze around afterward, only to call it "rest"? Let’s think about our readiness to procrastinate, which is nothing more than laziness.  
Almost everyone can compile a concise list of such flaws, but few of us seriously consider giving them up. At least not until they cause serious problems.  
[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 68]

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Step Book - Step 6  

(excerpt) - V.

Some may come to the conclusion that they are indeed ready to rid themselves of each and every defect. But even they, when making a list of their minor flaws, must admit that they still cling to some. Therefore, it is evident that very few of us are capable of striving for moral or spiritual perfection quickly or easily. We settle for the minimum level of perfection that allows us to get by in life. Of course, how much we can get by depends on our own perception. Thus, the difference between a "teenager" and an "adult" is as great as the difference between striving for the goals we define for ourselves and the true perfection, which is nothing less than God.  
Many immediately ask, "How can we be capable of accepting the Sixth Step in every respect? After all, this is perfection itself!" This sounds like a tricky question, but it is not, in fact. We can only make the First Step—where we fully admitted our powerlessness against alcohol—absolutely perfectly. The other Steps present us with the ideal of perfection. Goals we look up to; a standard by which we measure our progress. In this light, the Sixth Step is still difficult, but by no means impossible. The only urgent thing is to begin and to persist in our efforts.  
[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 69]

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Step Book - Step 6  

(excerpt) - VI.

If we truly want to make progress in solving other problems beyond alcohol through this Step, we must embark on a path of open-heartedness that is foreign to us. We must fix our eyes on perfection and be ready to move towards it. It does not matter much if we just shuffle along. The only question is: "Are we ready?"  
Looking back at those flaws we are still unwilling to give up, it would be good to refrain from overly sharp distinctions. In some cases, we may still have to say, "I can't give this up yet..." but we should never say, "I will never give this up!"  
Finally, let us rid ourselves of the seemingly dangerous unresolved remnants. The Step suggests that we be entirely ready to strive for perfection. But we see that some delay is forgivable. Of course, in the mind of an excuse-prone alcoholic, this can be a lengthy period. Thus, one might think: "How easy! I will strive for perfection, but it is not urgent at all. Perhaps I will postpone grappling with certain problems for an uncertain time." Naturally, this will not work. Such self-deception must be set aside along with other excuses. The minimum we must do is to take stock of our most serious character defects and start eliminating them as soon as possible.  
As soon as we say, "No, never!", we cut ourselves off from God's grace. Procrastination is dangerous, and rebellion can be fatal. This is the point at which we give up our limited goals and start moving towards fulfilling God's will.  
[12 Steps and 12 Traditions, p. 70]