about Turning It Over
Step 3 of the Twelve Steps: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over the care of God as we understood Him.
I remember first seeing the Third Step and having no idea what it meant. I did like the idea of "God as we understood him" - meaning it was for me to understand my own God instead of accepting someone else's interpretation or understanding. That freed me to at least consider taking Step 3.
As I studied this step by myself, with my sponsor and in Step meetings, I noticed the word "care." This was so important, the idea that my God or Higher Power (HP) would actually CARE for me. In defining what "care" meant to me, I realized it meant trusting in a force that has my best interests at heart, a loving God that cares for, protects, and comforts me. This was so different than the God I grew up with. One of my favorite pre-program phrases was "God punishes!" It was jokingly said of course, but the truth is I believed that. Now I had and have a chance to develop an understanding of my own benevolent, kind and loving higher power.
The last thing that struck me about Step 3 is that it asks me simply to "make a decision." It does not ask me to turn my will and my life over yet. It simply asks me to decide that I am willing to do so. The subsequent nine steps are the means by which I begin to actually do the turning over. In Step 3, I developed the necessary willingness and understanding of my own God that then allowed me to look at myself fearlessly. If I have a loving HP, then anything I do in this program is for my own good, for my ultimate happiness and serenity. So I can replace my fear with faith that all will turn out well as long as I trust in my God and align my will with my HP's.
Remembering that I have a loving HP of my own understanding, that all I need to do is be willing to trust in my God and its will for me, and that each step I take is one closer to being happy, joyous and free - that is my 3rd step work every day.
I remember first seeing the Third Step and having no idea what it meant. I did like the idea of "God as we understood him" - meaning it was for me to understand my own God instead of accepting someone else's interpretation or understanding. That freed me to at least consider taking Step 3.
As I studied this step by myself, with my sponsor and in Step meetings, I noticed the word "care." This was so important, the idea that my God or Higher Power (HP) would actually CARE for me. In defining what "care" meant to me, I realized it meant trusting in a force that has my best interests at heart, a loving God that cares for, protects, and comforts me. This was so different than the God I grew up with. One of my favorite pre-program phrases was "God punishes!" It was jokingly said of course, but the truth is I believed that. Now I had and have a chance to develop an understanding of my own benevolent, kind and loving higher power.
The last thing that struck me about Step 3 is that it asks me simply to "make a decision." It does not ask me to turn my will and my life over yet. It simply asks me to decide that I am willing to do so. The subsequent nine steps are the means by which I begin to actually do the turning over. In Step 3, I developed the necessary willingness and understanding of my own God that then allowed me to look at myself fearlessly. If I have a loving HP, then anything I do in this program is for my own good, for my ultimate happiness and serenity. So I can replace my fear with faith that all will turn out well as long as I trust in my God and align my will with my HP's.
Remembering that I have a loving HP of my own understanding, that all I need to do is be willing to trust in my God and its will for me, and that each step I take is one closer to being happy, joyous and free - that is my 3rd step work every day.
posted by julieannerickson at 1:45 PM
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