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Step 3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
All the steps are listed on pages 59 & 60, but this is where the instructions for this step can be found in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA, p. 60, paragraph 3, paragraph 4, lines 1-2 Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will over to the care of God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that and just what do we do? The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. AA, p. 62, paragraph 1, lines 1-2 Selfishness - self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. AA. p. 62, paragraph 3, lines 1-2 This is the how and the why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn't work. AA, p. 62, paragraph 3, lines 2-8 Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom. AA, p. 63, paragraph 1 When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn. AA, p. 63, paragraph 2 We were now at Step Three. Many of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: God, I offer myself to Thee, to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always! We thought well before taking this step making sure we were ready; that we could at last abandon ourselves utterly to Him. |
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