Step 03: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Sharing my experience, strength, hope, and opinions about this step and how I have weaved these principles into the tapestry of my life.
Q:If God is in control of everything, why do bad things happen to us? I’d like to believe in God, but I just can’t understand this.
Step 3 is one the most (if not the most) consequential step of the 12. Our book (Alcoholics Anonymous ) states, that “at some of these we balked.” (pg 58 – How it works).
Who was I when I got to AA? I was a sick man at the age of 33 – Same year Jesus was crucified by the way. I didn’t know anything about good living – I was sick as our book describes. When it came time for me to take a look at the 3rd step, I didn’t want much to do with “GOD”. God was who I looked to for blame when I couldn’t find anyone else to blame. I watched in the film: “The Nineth Configuration” God referred to as the great “Foot”. This foot comes down from heaven and stomps out like indiscriminately. – Is this your God?. This is exactly how I felt about God. How could he let such bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people?
Isn’t it better to face life’s problems with God rather than without Him? No, we may not understand everything that happens to us—but when we know Christ, we know we are on the winning side.
Site credit:
Billy Graham Evangelstic Association
Question:
If God is in control of everything, why do bad things happen to us? I’d like to believe in God, but I just can’t understand this.
Answer:
I’ve been asked hundreds of times why God allows evil to take place, and I have to tell you honestly that I do not know the answer—not fully. The Bible talks about “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thessalonians 2:7, KJV)—and that’s what evil is: a mystery.
But let me tell you three very important truths about evil that might help you. First, the Bible tells us that evil does not come from God, nor can we blame God for all the evils in the world. Evil comes instead from Satan, and it entered this world when Satan deceived Adam and Eve and caused them to turn against God. Both evil and Satan are real, and the two go hand-in-hand.
Second, the Bible tells us that someday all evil will be banished. The vast spiritual conflict between Satan and God that has raged from the beginning of time will be over, and God will be triumphant. Someday all evil will be cast “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41, KJV).
Third, the Bible tells us that in the meantime, God can give us victory over evil. This doesn’t mean bad things will never happen to us—but even when they do, we can know God is with us, and He will give us strength to stand against them. Isn’t it better to face life’s problems with God rather than without Him? No, we may not understand everything that happens to us—but when we know Christ, we know we are on the winning side. Why not commit your life to Him today.