Indeed, 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. (Twelve and Twelve p. 70)

I have been asking myself just what the difference is between the Third Step prayer and the Seventh Step prayer. Both emphasize turning everything over to a Higher Power. Both require at least some measure of surrender and humility. So what exactly is the difference (for me) between “God, I offer myself to thee…” and “My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me…”?

The obvious answer is that there are three very significant Steps between these two prayers, namely Four, Five and Six, starting with a searching and fearless moral inventory. Without first turning my will and my life over to God I wasn’t willing to even look seriously at my moral shortcomings. Now, as I approach Step Seven, I have looked at them. I have looked at them long and hard. Moreover, I have taken the truth that God revealed to me about myself, even in the darkest corners I could find, and I have spoken them aloud to another human being. I have then taken each item of that inventory and turned it over in my mind and heart until I was entirely ready to have God remove it. Or have I?

I just now pulled a very dog-eared list of character defects out of my wallet. The top two items on this list are pride and self-righteousness. I have prayed to God that they be removed, and yet today’s inventory still finds them very active, in particular with attitudes and behaviors toward my wife. Before getting too down on myself because they are still so active many years after first taking Step Seven, I want to make sure my inventory is thorough. Is this really the same pride and self-righteousness that I first took out and looked at those many years ago? I don’t think so. I was very comfortable with my conceits for many years. But now, even when I compulsively indulge them in my disease, they are no longer comfortable. Perhaps God is, slowly, carefully and graciously, doing for me what I could not do for myself.

I started this little Step Seven inventory with a reading on humility and I would do well to end it there too. Did I have a lust-free day today? Yes. Although I had to surrender thoughts several times, most of the problems I dealt with today were normal human problems, not sexaholic problems. Therefore I will choose to take Bill W. at his word and accept that I have attained at least a degree of humility, at least to the extent that I am sober today. For that I have ample reason to be thankful to God and also to you, my fellows.