Step Three in Action

The Third Step Prayer on my remains on my refrigerator year after year—not that I haven’t long ago memorized it, but it evokes a different meaning with each reading starting with the first sentence:

“God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me and do with me as Thou wilt.”

•    Here I realize that I don’t know exactly God’s will for me, but I do have a fairly good idea.   I am left off the hook here by a sentence on page 85 of the Big Book: “Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our activities.”  And yes, I do have a general idea (vision) of appropriate action as each new circumstance arises.  Of course, this may involve many Eleventh Step prayers throughout each day.
“Relieve me of the Bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will.”

•    Before learning about the Twelve Steps I had no Idea of what constituted the bondage of self.  But then when I did Steps Four and Five with my sponsor he was not fain to point them out.  I have come to believe there is an underlying four-part set of grosser handicaps which populate this deadly barrier from truth in drink: Selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear.
“Take away my difficulties that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of thy power, Thy love, and Thy way of life.”

•    I developed a good notion of my “difficulties” when I bring to light the many times I have taken the easy path when I knew, absolutely and for sure, that it was not my vision of God’s will.  As the famous comedian, Red Skelton, used to say: ‘I just dood it!”

“May I do Thy will always.”

•    I used to think that living the AA program of action was calling my sponsor, going to meetings, conventions, Twelve Stepping, etc. However, I have come to believe that “always” means how I drive a car or a nail, my attitude toward my fellow man, or, as a matter of fact, everything I do, or fail to do—ALWAYS!

By Bob S., Richmond, IN