1, 2, 3, Surrender
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: TX
Posts: 481
Surrender 1-2-3
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable. (I CAN'T)
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than our–selves could restore us to sanity. (HE CAN)
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. (I THINK I'LL LET HIM)
I often hear folks talk about steps 10-12 being the "maintenance steps". But to me, it's hard to proceed with them each day unless I've first surrendered through 1, 2, and 3. I can't, He can, and I think I'll let Him. I'm not so spiritually pure that I always want to make immediate amends. Or pray and meditate for the joy of it. Or help someone else in need because I'm such a nice guy. I need to be reminded that I downright need to do steps 10-12 by reviewing steps 1-3 each morning. I am a drunk, I have no control over that, but He can get me through it.
I digress briefly on the word "He". A descriptor I myself have come to use out of convenience. Because people understand what I'm talking about. But I've always found it curious that we would assign a gender to this Entity, this Experience, this Everything, we call God. And that the gender would be male. Which may have been closer to my point of view before I came into the program. But after coming to find a loving, gentle, non-judgemental God, I would lean more towards the feminine side. Though neither label really make sense if one stops to contemplate that to which the label is being assigned to.
Back to my original point, the word of the day for me is surrender. 1, 2, 3, surrender! For it is in surrender that I win.
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable. (I CAN'T)
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than our–selves could restore us to sanity. (HE CAN)
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. (I THINK I'LL LET HIM)
I often hear folks talk about steps 10-12 being the "maintenance steps". But to me, it's hard to proceed with them each day unless I've first surrendered through 1, 2, and 3. I can't, He can, and I think I'll let Him. I'm not so spiritually pure that I always want to make immediate amends. Or pray and meditate for the joy of it. Or help someone else in need because I'm such a nice guy. I need to be reminded that I downright need to do steps 10-12 by reviewing steps 1-3 each morning. I am a drunk, I have no control over that, but He can get me through it.
I digress briefly on the word "He". A descriptor I myself have come to use out of convenience. Because people understand what I'm talking about. But I've always found it curious that we would assign a gender to this Entity, this Experience, this Everything, we call God. And that the gender would be male. Which may have been closer to my point of view before I came into the program. But after coming to find a loving, gentle, non-judgemental God, I would lean more towards the feminine side. Though neither label really make sense if one stops to contemplate that to which the label is being assigned to.
Back to my original point, the word of the day for me is surrender. 1, 2, 3, surrender! For it is in surrender that I win.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
The acceptance part was the deal breaker for me, I never really fully committed in my mind that I was parting ways with alcohol on a permanent basis, which lead to thoughts after a few weeks of "just one", "I'm cured" etc etc!!
Acceptance cut through all the lies and fantasy and was the foundation for long term Sobriety!!
Acceptance cut through all the lies and fantasy and was the foundation for long term Sobriety!!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,945
big book page 75 Are the stones properly in place? Have we skimped on the cement put into the foundation? Have we tried to make mortar without sand? ( this applies to step 3 being CONVINCED then move to step four not just saying the third step prayer you must be convinced to do it the way out of the big book.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
