“My Creator, I am now willing that You should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that You now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to You and my fellows…”
If you’re working through the AA 12-Step Program, Step 7—Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings—is a powerful turning point. The Step 7 Prayer, often recited as part of this step, invites surrender and transformation.
But one word in this prayer holds particular power: Creator.
Russell Brand’s Insight into “Creator”
Actor, comedian, and outspoken recovery advocate Russell Brand offers a unique take on this prayer. He highlights the subtle brilliance of using “Creator” instead of “God.”
Why is that clever?
Why “Creator” Works for Everyone
- Avoids the use of the word God, which seems to attract so much attention from newcomers and others in the Rooms of AA who have shunned the idea of “God.”
- Removes resistance. It is for anyone, the source of being. If you don’t believe in a God, then the source of your being is the material universe. Suppose you have not understood God as an interested and intelligent being who created you. In that case, you can accept as your creator the atoms and molecules of the universe, together with the mysterious forces which have conspired to give you being and consciousness.
A Remarkable Choice for the 1930s
Russell points out that the use of the word “creator” was not particularly common in the 1930s. Few theological or spiritual authors used that word; creator was not commonly accepted as it is today. It was in many respects something you would expect from a genius, not a bankrupt and unemployed stockbroker.
Bill might have come up with this himself, but more likely it was a contributor to the writing of the Big Book who suggested this particular point of genius. If it was a contributor who suggested this, he was willing to step outside the box of conventional references to a Higher Power and use the word “creator.” And use it at a point in the Recovery process under the 12 Steps, which, as I have said, was clever.
God, as I have understood Him, might have been that contributor.
Books to Support Your Twelve Step Journey
If you’re looking to explore Step work, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation more deeply, check out The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts. These books offer insights, reflections, and real-life recovery experience that complement the journey through the Twelve Steps.
The books in The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts can be purchased through my estore or the major online book retailers. Look for GEMS, More GEMS, and Still More GEMS.
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