Step Three - Necessary Action

From feeling hopeless and then moving to a place of being hopeful in Steps 1 and 2, we now come to a moment of significant change. It’s never enough to know certain information, there always has to be a moment when we act on what we know. That’s when real change begins to anchor itself in our lives.  And that’s what the core of Step 3 is all about.

We turned our will and our life over to the care of God as we understood Him.

The God who reveals Himself to us in His Son Jesus is more committed to us and a successful way forward for us than we often are ourselves.  This power greater than ourselves who can restore us to sanity is just ready and waiting to work in us as we surrender our will and our life into His care.

You will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:12-14a

Step Three is an ongoing process of continuous surrender to the will of God.  As we follow God’s principles we can expect that some beliefs we have held, and some practices we are familiar with, will conflict with what the word of God says will bring good to our lives. 

After having lived for years doing things our way, some of us may wonder how we will succeed at doing things God’s way.  We have already admitted that we are powerless over the pull of our dependencies.  Our past record would indicate that it is impossible for us to live by God’s principles. 

Thankfully, God not only commands us to live a godly life, He also provides us with the power of His Holy Spirit to do so.  When facing temptation, we need to seek the Holy Spirit to be active in us, and in faith agree with God’s word that we are overcomers through the strength that He provides.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for Jesus who made a way for us to experience freedom from sin and the gift of eternal life. Although we may not completely understand this new way of life, we have become willing to turn our will and life over to your care.  Lord Jesus, thank you for forgiving all our sins as we’ve turned from them and turned to You.  But not only that, thank You now that You have sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what pleases You. 

We trust you to do in us even more than we could ask or imagine.  We pray Your will, not mine, be done in our lives.  Amen

I love that short summary of Steps 1 – 3 many of us have learned:  I can’t. God can.  I’ll let Him.  What a great place to live today.