The importance of Step Three is that a decision is made (in fact it is a final
choice) for our thought process to no longer be propelled by our human
instincts (our self will) but rather by the will of God through
inspiration. Inspiration is defined as, "the thoughts of God implanted in
the mind and soul of man."The Third Step is, "We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him." In the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous in the chapter "How It Works" it states, "The first requirement (in taking the Third Step) is that we be convinced that any life run on self will can hardly be a success." As stated prior to this, "Remember that we deal with alcohol, cunning, baffling, powerful. Without help it is to much for us. But there is One who has all power -that One is God. May you find Him now!" The chapter goes further in stating, "Selfishness - self-centerednes! That, we think, is the root of our troubles... So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self will run riot..." Self will is our thought process propelled by our human instincts. In the Big Book it says "above everything we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness and there seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid."
I learned in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous that we have three basic instincts, a social, sexual and security instinct. These instincts are God given and necessary for life but in us we can never get enough of what it is we think we need . The great psychiatrist Sigmund Freud defines an instinct as "a bodily need manifested in our thought process." It is there that our character defects exist - but these same defects, which will always exist to some extent in our human nature, cannot possibly be manifested in our behavior when our thought process is propelled by God's will, through inspiration.
Written by Armand
Edited by Caitlin Alexandra
I yearned for complete approval, for total safety, and for perfect romance. But as an alcoholic, those instincts could never be sated. I was unable to know peace of mind as my thinking was the solo source of my fulfillment. My thinking led to my drinking. My actions were erratic and inconsistent as they were orchestrated by the cacophony of my desperate-for-more mind. At odds with this way of thinking and living was the notion that there was something else within me that was more powerful than my human nature run astray. Therein lay the problem and therein lay the solution. As the singular source of my power, I was rendered powerless. Until, through incorporating The Twelve Steps into my daily living, I came to know The Power Within me far stronger, far more loving than I was capable of being. That awareness was the first blush of what has followed: the complete Trust in The Power Within to follow His Will for me, and not mine. And to guard and strengthen that power by giving it away through His guidance.
ReplyDeleteMichael loved when you wrote "as the singular source of my power, I was rendered powerless." I experienced exactly that. My defiance would not allow me to surrender, even though grave misfortune came my way, but eventually I expired all human energy and was laid powerless. Incapable of physical action. It was only then that I began to incorporate the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous into my life...Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteThis Comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteHaving been brought to my knees through my own best efforts, I soon discover that any further attempts at self reliance are now pure acts of insanity birthed in the mind of a madman who's been locked too long in the basement of a three alarm blaze. Yes, a life lived free from the slavery of alcohol is indeed a very brief proposition If I linger too long at the precipice of Step Three while continuing to entertain those same thoughts, behaviors and lifestyle choices that precipitated my demise.
I was now left with a final frightful choice, for the 12 step program of AA tells me there is only one way to bridge the gap to the "Father of Light" who was and is the only true path to freedom and the serenity that follows. But who is this God and how would I know for sure that He will even hear me? After all, It is one thing to believe there is a God and quite another to make a decision by faith to actually know Him. For some, the living testimony of their sponsor is enough. For others a little investigation into the history and practices of the founders will be essential and will clearly reveal that the miracle of regeneration they experienced, the strength they received, and the hope they conveyed to those still suffering is hidden in plane sight on almost every page of the very book they used before their personal testimony contained in the Big Book was ever published. That book is the Bible Mark 9: 14 - 29 holds the answer..
For here we find a frantic father, desperately seeking relief for his demonized son. No doubt he sought every local logical source of human and spiritual ingenuity available to effect a cure, all to no avail. He hears of the miraculous works of Jesus, a furtive hope is kindled, he sets out into the wilderness. But hopes are dashed as Christ's own disciples are impotent against the author of his son's beastly captivity.
Jesus arrives on the scene, questions the father who relates his desperation, the failure of His disciples to effect a cure, then pleads "Have mercy on us and help us if you can." "If I can?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." The father's heart laid bare instantly cries out "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!" He had opened his heart and laid his innermost need bare before the Master. He asked for a miracle and... It was provided. In that instant, lost hope transformed into saving faith as he and his son became living testimony of the impossible.
It matters not how we come to the Mercy Seat. All that matters is that we are willing to come.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
DeleteWe come to AA suffering from untreated alcoholism. We cannot drink and still suffer from untreated alcoholism as we learn that alcohol isn't our true malady, our true malady is self centered fear. The solution to alcoholism is a vital spiritual experience and we give life to our relationship with God through the manifestation of God's will in our lives...Thank you...Armand