Does God Remove ALL Defects Of Character?Does God Remove ALL Defects Of Character?
RAW Recovery Podcast
Dion reflects on Step Six and Step Seven, questioning whether God removes all character defects while sharing his own experience of losing the obsession to drink. The conversation blends AA literature, humour and practical examples to show how willingness and ongoing effort shape long-term recovery.
41:20•20 Oct 2026
Does God Really Remove All Our Character Defects?
Episode Overview
- God may remove the obsession to drink, but most character defects require ongoing effort and cooperation.
- Step Six and Step Seven describe a lifelong process of progress, not perfection.
- A higher power is personal and individual, but a key starting point is accepting “I am not God.”
- Willingness, honesty and open-mindedness are essential to working on defects of character.
- Former defects like anger can be redirected and used more constructively instead of being eliminated entirely.
“If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions, but in no case does He render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation.”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? On RAW Recovery’s Daily Trudge, host Dion takes on a classic 12-step question: does God actually remove all defects of character, or is that just wishful thinking for people in early sobriety? You’ll hear Dion blend Big Book reading, 12 & 12 references, and his own lived experience, all wrapped in irreverent humour and bad-coffee honesty.
He talks about Step Six and Step Seven in practical terms, contrasting the “obsession to drink” with everyday defects like anger, jealousy, pride and fear. As he puts it, “This was something that only God could remove. But to remove my other character defects? No. Not going to happen. Otherwise, I would be a robot-a-ton.” The episode also spends time on higher power, with Dion stressing that “the best place to start is this: I am not it.
I’m not God.” There’s room for playful examples too, from doorknob higher powers to “shirt” as a name for God, and even a little Dungeons & Dragons alignment chat. Through the laughs, he keeps coming back to a serious point: God may remove the obsession to drink, but the rest is a “lifetime job” that takes willingness, honesty and ongoing effort.
Dion shares a key turning point in his own recovery – leaving detox for the 22nd time in two years, seeing the pain in his wife’s eyes, and realising “she deserves better than this bullshit”, describing that moment as when the desire to drink left him. From there, he explains how he now channels old defects, like anger, into healthier responses, whether that’s being a firm but fair grandpa or choosing progress over perfection.
If you’ve ever wondered why your defects still flare up even after starting a spiritual path, this conversation offers plenty to think about and laugh at. Where might you be saying, “This I will never give up,” and is it time to rethink that?
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