Step by Step
Saturday, May 4, 2013
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." - Step Three
Today, I revisit the Third Step and ask if I have surrendered in whole my will and life to my Higher Power, if I have done more than "made a decision ..." As the Big Book warns ("Alcoholics Anonymous," Third Edition, 1976, p 62), "Selfishness - self-centeredness! That ...is the root of our troubles." Selfishness, easily and understandably identified in our Fourth as a character defect, gives way to humility - the total surrender of self to the will of our Higher Power. The Third Step lays the foundation for the spiritual change that we work toward in subsequent Steps, and that change can be nil to nothing if we do not first experience the humility of absolute surrender. And the predictable outcome if we hold onto our complex of playing God of our own lives will be the mythical slip or, at worst, full relapse. How do I "take" my Third? "... (I)t is better to meet God alone than with one" other person, according to the Big Book (p 63), because of the intensely personal and private relationship we have with the God of our understanding. Today, I do not take for granted the immense importance of Step Three and will ask if I have humbled myself completely to seek my Higher Power's will instead of mine. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." - Step Three
Today, I revisit the Third Step and ask if I have surrendered in whole my will and life to my Higher Power, if I have done more than "made a decision ..." As the Big Book warns ("Alcoholics Anonymous," Third Edition, 1976, p 62), "Selfishness - self-centeredness! That ...is the root of our troubles." Selfishness, easily and understandably identified in our Fourth as a character defect, gives way to humility - the total surrender of self to the will of our Higher Power. The Third Step lays the foundation for the spiritual change that we work toward in subsequent Steps, and that change can be nil to nothing if we do not first experience the humility of absolute surrender. And the predictable outcome if we hold onto our complex of playing God of our own lives will be the mythical slip or, at worst, full relapse. How do I "take" my Third? "... (I)t is better to meet God alone than with one" other person, according to the Big Book (p 63), because of the intensely personal and private relationship we have with the God of our understanding. Today, I do not take for granted the immense importance of Step Three and will ask if I have humbled myself completely to seek my Higher Power's will instead of mine. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M., 2013
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