Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

Step Three

"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives
over to the care of God as we understood Him."

PRACTICING Step Three is like the opening of a door
which to all appearances is still closed and locked. All we
need is a key, and the decision to swing the door open.
There is only one key, and it is called willingness. Once un-
locked by willingness, the door opens almost of itself, and
looking through it, we shall see a pathway beside which
is an inscription. It reads: "This is the way to a faith that
works." In the first two Steps we were engaged in reflection.
We saw that we were powerless over alcohol, but we also
perceived that faith of some kind, if only in A.A. itself, is
possible to anyone. These conclusions did not require ac-
tion; they required only acceptance.

Like all the remaining Steps, Step Three calls for affir-
mative action, for it is only by action that we can cut away
the self-will which has always blocked the entry of God—
or, if you like, a Higher Power—into our lives. Faith, to
be sure, is necessary, but faith alone can avail nothing. We
can have faith, yet keep God out of our lives. Therefore
our problem now becomes just how and by what specific
means shall we be able to let Him in? Step Three represents
our first attempt to do this. In fact, the effectiveness of the
whole A.A. program will rest upon how well and earnestly
we have tried to come to "a decision to turn our will and