….How can I turn MY will and MY life over to this God I really don’t understand fully ??? you may know your higher power can be your group members who have been able to do the 12 steps to stay sober successfuly. wiser than others in AA. the winners. what one strives to become. mentors. I need to keep in mind that this is not a religious program. However, if religion helps than I’m all for it. So back to that question..How ? For me its very simple. I’m known to complicate things so simplicity is the key. First this step calls for a DECISION. This means ACTION. What action? the first 3 steps are making a committment. step 4-12 are the action steps. Well, make a commitment to work ALL 12 steps with a sponsor who has a good program themselves…Also I need to keep my mind OPEN to new ideas other than MY own.. Will and Life is simply my thinking and behavior….. Faith, willingness, and surrender are principles to practice…My sponsor once told me….”WE need to LIVE OUR way into better thinking” not think our way in better living…..So what is Gods Will ?…it will be revealed. GO to a meeting, call someone, look for a job, get up early for school, GO to work, clean the house…lol ….You get the idea right !! SELF-WILL RUN RIOT does NOT WORK for me…So turn my will and life over to God as I really try to understand Him or Her if you like….This is a great journey and the first three steps will help me get through the rest of the steps…Hey…. you guys told me its not about perfection but progress…Action…that what this step calls for…"??" However, I always seem to fall short…FEAR…always seems to creep in….we say, "fear is the absence of faith." if i sponsor someone who is fearful i return them back to work the first 3 steps, particularly step 3. otherwise if they rush to the other steps imo their success to say sober is minimal or tenuous. the first 3 steps establish the foundation for sobriety. the rest are the action steps. reference the chapter "into action" in the BB.
This step for me is my development and belief in my Higher Power which I choose to call G.O.D…If you like… Good Orderly Direction. **This step can cause some of us to fall back into our old ways…ie addictions… because the word God and maybe our experiences with the self -righteous ones…You know the ones who have all the answers…**if we have thoroughly established the foundation of steps 1 -3 our chances of falling back into our old ways are greatly minimized. if we fall back, it's that we'd rather drink than be sober. simple as that, IMHO. taking our WILL back. Well, Im far from knowing anything other than what Ive learned and religion has nothing to do with these steps. You can be for or against any way. The thing is that we find a way that works for us…Prayer…. can be just thinking positive thoughts or kneeling down before The Almighty. My first sponsor was an atheist and he spoke to me about God…His God was written so simply that we can follow this Power in our daily life…Spiritual Principles was how he was living…Which are the steps. Keep in mind that this isnt the “ONLY WAY”…It just has helped me…So, with that being said…the 3rd step calls for belief and faith to work. I start with prayer to find out what it is that I believe God wants me to do next. The answers are simple. The third step principles are faith, willingness, surrender…etc..Now with my commitment in this step I move to step four…..