The 3rd Step of the AA Program states “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” As many of you know, the 3rd Step is a very basic, important part of my program of practicing these principles daily in all my affairs. Recently, I was talking with a good friend who asked for my professional opinion on a topic that was very close to him. My first thought was the shortened version of the 3rd Step. So I said to myself “God help me” and then asked my friend what the question was. I did not just know in my head that the right answer would appear. but I absolutely felt in my guts that the response would be proper.
As long as I remember to ask for this help, I don’t have to remember what I said in a previous conversation we might have had. I KNOW that whatever I said was true, real, and correct to the best of my knowledge at the time. Does this mean that I always have the answers or actions that are factually correct? No, it means that I have spoken or acted as truthfully and correctly as I could have at the time. Even if the answer is the formerly unused by me “I don’t know but let’s find out.“
“But how do I turn my will and life over to my Higher Power?” I completely surrender myself to the Power of the universe that created everything that is in this universe. How can this Creator guide me any way but correctly? When I came into AA, I saw people who I had known in the past to be spiritually, emotionally, and morally bankrupt before. They turned into happy, joyful people who wanted nothing more than to share it with me so that I could be free too.
All it took was surrender. “I never surrendered or gave into anyone or anything willingly in my life. Why do you think that I should, all of a sudden, do it now to an entity that I can’t even see?” This is where the opposite of fear enters. The opposite of fear is not bravery or guts or courage. It is FAITH. What is Faith? It is the absolute KNOWING that the results are going to be ok. How do I know that the results are going to be ok? I watch, listen to, and emulate people who I meet in the program of AA who have BEEN THERE. How do I do this? I may have to fake it ‘till I make it for a while. And, if I do it with all of my heart, I will soon see that it works.
But it only works if I work it. When I work it, I know that I can and will surrender to this Power. I now trust and have faith that it will all work out well.
“How do I know that it will work for me? I have tried it before and it didn’t.” That is because, before, I did not trust or believe in it. Then, I saw, heard and believed it working in others who I respected. Why? Because they had walked the walk before talking the talk. I knew that I could finally completely surrender to this Higher Power who I now call God. This program is not brain surgery. What it is, is a very simple program for very complicated folks. As soon as I surrendered, I was able to easily turn my will and life over to the care of my Higher Power.
Because I am prone to dissecting EVERYTHING, I must remember to use this 3rd Step, not only before tough decisions, but also in ALL parts of my daily life. I must not limit it to just when I am attending an AA meeting and looking for something to say that might impress someone else.
Now we have talked about the first 3 steps and they can be summarized by saying Step 1 – I can’t, Step 2 – He can, Step 3 – I think I’ll let Him. How much simpler could it be? Not always easy, I know. But so simple that we may wonder why we hadn’t tried it before. Now what do I do? Just do the next right thing. To know what the next right thing is, try saying the shortened version of Step e, “God, help me” and then JUST DO IT! The choice is yours. Choose wisely!