Thoughts on Recovery – No. 29 – Step 3 – The first requirement

After the abc’s that end the how it works preamble it says if you are convinced they are true for you that you are now at step 3.  Step 3 is a decision to turn our will and lives over to God as we understand him. They then ask the question what do they mean by that and what do you do to achieve it.

The first requirement is that you be convinced that your life run on self will was not successful. They spend 2 pages describing what a life run on self will looks like. Were you the actor running the show? How did that work for you? Were you always in conflict or collision with somebody? Were you under the delusion that you could rest satisfaction or happiness by managing well? Did you get irritable , restless, and discontented? Did alcohol treat those feelings by giving you a sense of ease and comfort? Could you live sober without alcohol and have peace and serenity?

Did you blame others for your situation? Were you concerned with yourself , your resentments, your self pity?

Look at these questions and read pages 60 – 62.  I would suggest reading it in the first person. One has to be convinced that a life run on self will can never be successful. To do that is required because if not then the individual will not be able to surrender completely. Surrender to my inability to ever be able to manage my life. That is where being able to see the truth of one’s situation is not only a gift from God but necessary to seek him with the desperation of a drowning man. Is this true for you?

Next we look at the root of our situation in part 2. Then the decision we make to begin the solution to it in part 3.