He discovered that continuing to take Steps Six and Seven, he became more willing to have God remove his defects.  

My first time working through the 12 Steps of SA, my thinking was all sequential. When I came to Steps Six and Seven, I thought, “I will knock these Steps out with the help of my sponsor and get on with Eight and Nine!” Years later, I’m still working Steps Six and Seven. Hello? In the ensuing years in Program, I’ve gained some wisdom and patience. Imagine trying to solve all my issues in weeks!

Over the years, my Higher Power has allowed circumstances that challenged me and to which I responded with my character defects. These character defects don’t exist in a vacuum. The “school of life” is my curriculum, and as problems came up, I was given a choice whether to clean up my act or keep on doing what I had been doing and getting the same unacceptable results.

“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character” (AA 59 ) means I have to be ready to give them up. In my early years in Program, I wasn’t so willing. It has taken some time working the Program and making some progress to be willing to give up some character defects. “Progress, not perfection” has been true in my life.

When I sat down with my sponsor and worked Steps Six and Seven, I made a start at having God remove them. Over the years, I have come back to my sponsor and shared that I had a “new” character defect to humbly ask God to remove. 

“One Method for Working Step Six” has been a real help to me. About a year and a half ago, I read this section of Step Into Action. I became convinced that my Higher Power was calling me to look at a situation in my life. One particular character defect was part of the problem. I made the required chart and shared it with my sponsor. I prayed Step Seven and kept it in my prayers. My life has been better since then. I have more serenity.