The Third of the Twelve Steps says we make a conscious decision to turn our life over to God. It doesn’t say we turn our life over to God. We just decide to turn our life over to God.
What does it mean to turn your life over to God? It means working steps four through twelve.
In step four, you make a complete and fearless moral inventory. Working horizontally, you list off persons and things you resent, what they did to you, what part of your life they threatened, and what role you played, if any. As for their bad behavior? You ascribe that to their own spiritual sickness. And you stop resenting them for it.
You also do a fear inventory, working horizontally, you list off people and things you fear, what you fear will happen, what part of your life this would threaten, what role you have played in bringing this about, and then you turn over your fear to God by admitting that you are no longer running your life, God is.
You do a sex inventory, listing off everyone you have hurt in the pursuit and process of sex.
In the following steps, you discuss your moral (and fear and sex) inventory with another person, you become willing for God to take away your defects of character, you surrender these defects to God, you become ready to make amends to those you’ve harmed and you make amends in those instances where it will not cause further harm, and then you continue to take a moral inventory every day, and when you’re wrong you quickly admit it, and you make efforts every day to connect to God through prayer and meditation.
That’s what it means to turn your life over to God.
Here are some examples of this work. I don’t have health insurance. I fear I’ll get sick and I won’t be able to afford medical care. So I’ve taken that fear and I’ve given it to God. I say, God, You handle this. I’m just going to do the best I can to go about my life in a careful and sober manner, avoiding accidents the best I can. You take my fear.
I resent various people for doing me wrong. So I take these resentments, and I say, God, You take my resentments. I’m turning them over to You. I’m unplugging my resentment replay machine and my how-do-I-get-even? machine (12 Steps).
I say, God, my will is corrupt. Self-discipline, self-help and lofty goals are not enough for me. Religion as I’ve been practicing it is not enough for me. I have to turn my will over to You. It’s not my will I’m going to do today, it’s Your will be done.
God, I can’t figure out this person. God, I can’t figure out this situation. I’m licked. So I’m turning this over to You to guide me.
Started with a perfect kiss then
We could feel the poison set in
Perfect couldn’t keep this love alive
You know that I love you so
I love you enough to let you go
I want you to know that it doesn’t matter
Where we take this road someone’s gotta go
And I want you to know you couldn’t have loved me better
But I want you to move on so I’m already gone
