Just don’t confuse Simply with Easily, especially when dealing with anger.
What was, and upon occasion still is, my first response to being startled, surprised, or in any way taken out of my immediate comfort zone? Anger! Either a brief flash or gut-wrenching rage. Sometimes, it may be started by just the simple act of being asked something and not immediately able to have the answer.
In any list that AA puts forth of Character Defects, anger is right there. Big, bad, and bold! Digging deeper, the Big Book puts Fear in parentheses immediately after ALL individual character defects when discussing making an inventory.
When new to the AA program, I was introduced to the Spiritual Way of Life. I was shown right away and repeatedly that I was to get rid of any thought of my Higher Power as a judgemental power with human tendencies. One sitting “on high” telling me that I was going to Hell. I was advised to call this Higher Power anything that I wished. Just call on It frequently. This Higher Power was inside my heart, not up in the sky somewhere.
Being so low when I entered, the only way to go was out or up. Since I had failed in several suicide attempts, out was not an option anymore. How do I go up? I was then told “Fake it till you make it” and “Let Go and Let God.” It worked! Not always easy but ALWAYS simple.
How do I do this? Read, study and finally understand the 3rd step. If you are apprehensive about it, Fake it until you make it. Pretty soon, if I were working on really doing this in all my affairs, understanding and then relief came in big time. Only then could I truly turn my will and my life over to my Higher Power and live a life that is Happy, Joyous, and Free! Whenever I am feeling out of sorts, a renewal of the 3rd step gives a bad feeling a poof pill.
So, then, I asked what I was to do when I could not remember the 3rd Step Prayer, The Serenity Prayer, or any other of these tools? It was here that I received probably the most useful piece of information that I had received to date.
This was, when I was at one of life’s crossroads and did not know which one to take, to simply say the shortened version of the 3rd Step. “God, help me!” Then get out of His way and let Him. I did and still do to this day almost 46 years later. And it works every time as long as I get out of His way and let Him. Thank you, God!
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