By Michael Janflone

Doing the Right Thing

Step 3 – Made a decision to turn our will and our lives to the care of God as we understood him.

If W. is your higher power and you’re clean still, way to go, you are a strong individual who finds good in anything. This seems like a great place for a disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Detoxes.net.

As far as the steps are concerned, this is the first mention of the big “G” word. Catholics, agnostics and atheists, take a minute to catch your breath and relax. Maybe hum some Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.” That helps me sometimes.

Seriously, in Chapter 2 of the Big Book, it states very clearly that AA had discovered a common SOLUTION when it came to addiction. That’s a powerful word, solution; it means it is indeed possible to solve a substance abuse problem, like 46+2=48. Oh, it also says tha without this solution that the big book discusses, “we are doomed to an alcoholic (substance) death. A power greater than ourselves, God, will rid us of selfishness and selfishness kills.

It is very simply laid out in black and white – God for me, and plenty of other still-recovering addicts, relieves us of self-pity and self-centeredness. I became selfless, and my desire to help another human being daily remains my daily priority. This is step 3, though, and I just went through a lot of information, so I need everyone, not just the Catholics, atheists and agnostics to take a breath. Me? Maybe “Fireworks” by Katy Perry would work...

P.S.: For those who struggle with God, are an atheist, an agnostic, etc.- I’ll be writing a blog just for you this week as well.

God’s Will. Today it’s simply doing the right thing for me. Back then I listened to my sponsor – I turned my will and my life over because I was in a desperate, hopeless place, and my life wasn’t worth anything, despite people telling me about all these great qualities I possessed. None of that fit into my plans. There was no good in me or life would not have been the way it was. There always seems to be confusion on this step when it comes to God’s will, heck some people may just be at the point of discovering a higher power.

Steps 1, 2 and 3 are about surrender. In step one we conceded to ourselves, we lost all control and could not stop using by ourselves when we began using drugs and alcohol. It ruined our lives. Step 2, we decide there is something more powerful than ourselves, something, and if it is sought, it will stop the insanity our addiction creates. The madness that becomes ordinary, the absurdity that transforms into the completely rational.

Now this God thing enters the picture, something bigger than us, that wants our wills and lives entrusted to it. For me at the time, God’s will is my gut, that instinct that lets me know immediately something is right or wrong. Problem is, the first two steps made me have no gut instinct. That was long gone, my life centered around one word more.

Remember early on in this blog, after we got singing or humming tunes of our choice, I said the Big Book says that they have a common solution. IN the 12-Step based programs, the Program is the book. Follow it to the letter and there’s virtually a guarantee you are going to get better, recovered…well. For now, God’s will for you is to “launch” into the steps with a “vigorous action.”

You are a rocket ship, hitting step 4 with force, strength, and quickness. With my sponsees, they know there is no party for going through the first 3, no hiatus prior to step 4. For me, my sponsor basically explained those three and the process of surrender. I knew my life was in shambles, I was an emotional mess, a physical wreck and a spiritual wasteland. Combined, I was miserable, and that package of ramen noodles staring back at me that I was calling dinner in early recovery was enough to send me into a fit of rage or a quiet sob session in the bathroom.

My last run lasted 5 years. I was not going to wait to get WELL. I spent untold time being someone I hated, someone sick, that I abused and the answer to wellness were right in front of me. I already knew the boy I had been, he dominated large portions of my life. What was intriguing, what I was eager to find out was the man I could become…Who are you going to become?