“Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.” (Page 59, Big Book)
Defects, shortcomings, are any occupation of the mind or body that is at odds with God’s will.
They exist as potential and performance.
God does not remove the potential, but he does remove the performance.
How?
He shows us how to occupy our mind and body in accordance with His Will.
This is His role.
Our role is then to do God’s will, in mind and body.
All the direction and power come from Him.
All the work comes from us.
In other words, we are the ones that have to do the stopping of every single defect, and the starting of whatever replaces it.
Condemnation with pity, patience, and tolerance.
Fear with faith.
Gloom with cheerfulness.
Indolence with action.
If a defect has not ‘gone’ it is only ever because I am continuing to perform the defect in mind and body.
God’s direction and strength are not wanting.
It is never a matter of God never having yet removed the defect for reasons unbeknownst to us, of God having withheld His will or strength. That would be mockery. He makes the direction and strength available, permanently.
It’s then all down to me. Will I ask or won’t I? Will I persist or won’t I?
And he only removes the performance: he leaves the potential right where it is, within arm’s reach.