Step Three: We made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him.
Picture this: There are three frogs on a log. One makes a decision to jump off. How many frogs are left on the log? Three! One only made a decision to jump off. In Step Three we find out about making the decision to let go and let God.
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The first Spiritual Principle behind the Third Step is Faith. In Step Two, we were introduced to the idea of Power greater than ourselves, and began relying upon that Power to restore us to sanity. We started to believe that this Power had our backs; we were given evidence. This Power was proving Itself on a regular basis, meeting our needs and maybe even answering a prayer or two. In Step Three, we build upon this little bit of faith even further.
“Our will and lives,” What does this mean? Our will are our thoughts, our lives are our actions. In other words, our will and thoughts also means our obsession. Our lives and actions is the compulsion. When we were drinking and drugging, we were constantly thinking about using, OBSESSING, especially the times in between. The compulsion is the inability to stop using once we’ve begun. Thus begins the vicious cycle of obsession and compulsion. By the time we’ve reached Step Three, the desire to drink and drug has hopefully been lifted. If not, then this is the step we take to be relieved of this fatal behavior.
“The care of God, as we understood Him,” God can and WILL relieve this obsession and compulsion. All we have to do is ask. An easy prayer may be something like this: “God, please take my will and my life, guide me in my recovery, show me how to live.” (NA Third Step Prayer) If we have a puppy and go away for the weekend, we trust our neighbor will feed, love and walk our dog, in other words TAKE CARE. God is no different!
We start turning our will and lives over by Surrendering. The next Spiritual Principle in Step Three. We continue to build on the Surrender we practiced in Steps One and Two. Getting out of God’s way, allowing Him to work in our live, this is Letting Go! What a great place to be, in a state of Surrender, allowing a loving, caring God to take care of us.
Once again, Willingness is a big part of the Third Step, as well. Isn’t it wonderful how each Spiritual Principle we learn in the previous step, helps us with the next step? We can be that frog that jumps off the log! We continue to show our willingness by letting go and letting God.
Next, a little bit of Hope from Step One, turned to Faith in Step Two and now in Step Three, we begin to Trust. The rewards of recovery are evident. Maybe we’re employable for the first time in a long time. Our wives, husbands and children talk to us! We have folding money in our pocket! Things are looking good! We smell better, look better and most of all, FEEL better. The God of our understanding has been taking care of us, and we can Trust Him and the people whose suggestions we’d been following. Our lives can only continue to improve from this point forward, as long we as we make healthy decisions based upon Hope, Faith and Trust.
Finally, the Spiritual Principle of Commitment plays a big part in the Third Step. We must continue to have Faith, our needs are being met. Trust in the process of recovery and taking action by working the rest of the steps and continuing to let go, on a constant basis. Remember, our way does not work! God has great plans for us, if we let Him. Go to Step Four
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