Healing Addiction
Through God's Love

STEP 7 Humility “Humbly ask Him to remove our shortcomings.” Recovering clients ask the higher power to eliminate character defects, which may include impulsivity, selfishness, impatience, or anger. In order to do this, clients must admit they are not strong enough to remove these character flaws on their own. The spiritual principle behind this step is humility. A SOZO Client’s Point of View:  “Because I was now familiar with the serenity prayer and the lord’s prayer, and found both of these prayers to be helpful, I decided to follow advice heard in A.A. meetings and use the seventh step prayer listed on page 76 of our big book, “alcoholics anonymous”, to formally ask God to remove my shortcomings. So, I got on my knees with my sponsor and said the seventh step prayer to God. “My creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and "Step 7 – Humility – Principled Recovery Series"

STEP 6 Willingness “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” At this point, clients admit they are ready to allow their higher power to take away the wrongs they admitted in step 4. The spiritual principle behind this step is willingness. A SOZO Client’s Point of View:  “Both my counselor and A.A. sponsor told me that step six was where I was supposed to get ready to ask God to remove my defects of character. Never before had I ever been challenged to “get ready” to ask God for anything. With my sponsor’s help, I was able to go through my 4th and 5th steps and pull out all those personality and behavior traits of mine that in the past were pretty undesirable, if not downright terrible. Here was my chance to ask God to remove these things. I found that I needed to read, "Step 6 – Willingness – Principled Recovery Series"

STEP 5 Integrity “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” By admitting to the past poor behavior examined in step 4, clients are able to let go of shame and guilt. The spiritual principle behind this step is integrity. A SOZO Client’s Point of View:  “Integrity is a word that I don’t remember ever using before coming to SOZO to get sober. The fifth step said, “admitted to God, ourselves and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” I had no idea that, when I wrote my fourth step inventory, I was listing “the exact nature of my wrongs”, but I guess I was. And now it was time to meet with God and another human being to discuss these things. I chose, as my human being, my A.A. sponsor, who I was beginning to like a little by "Step 5 – Integrity – Principled Recovery Series"

STEP 4 Courage “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” A SOZO Client’s Point of View:  “This is where I’m expected to make “a fearless and moral inventory of myself”. The words “fearless and “moral” make me feel a little uncomfortable. A helpful resident explained to me that it was like writing my life’s story, concentrating on good and not-so-good traits in my personality and past behaviors. SOZO staff and A.A. members suggested that I identify resentments, fears, and other things that probably made me feel like drinking/drugging in the past. A staff member promised me that we weren’t just “digging up dirt on me”, but that he was going to show me how, by doing this, I could reduce the power these thoughts and past behaviors had over me. I started writing, using both the journals "Step 4 – Courage – Principled Recovery Series"