Step III

"We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood God."

Note: Due to the fact this step directly relates to God as we understood God, inevitable, numerous references to God or our Higher Power were necessary. So we remind you of your right to your own conception of a higher power.

Now we turn to Step Three. Step Three takes action. We made a decision to turn over our will and our lives is the action we take and willingness to do so is the key. Why do we choose to turn over our will versus continuing to use self-will? Our peace of mind, our serenity, and our tranquility level are reason enough for most, yet together they represent only a mere beginning of the gifts turning it over brings.

Some of us might say hmmm... sounds O.K., but that takes willingness that we might never have. We point to the willingness most of us needed when most of us were learning to ride a bike. Some were fearful, yet eventually the willingness to ride solo overcame their fear of the same. This letting go resulted in much greater freedom and independence and that is precisely what Step Three will bring, freedom and independence in the truest sense. From that one decision, brought about by willingness, we are free to at last be ourselves. We gain strength, not weakness from Step Three. Allowing our higher power to take over is a source of great strength. We have been granted the strength to go on to steps four through twelve. We never stop living the steps! As a fellowship we work harder because we have to! M.D.A. adopted, and then adapted the 12 Steps, because the earliest M.D.A. members were convinced they were our spiritual solution.

Now the steps aren't a cure for manic-depression, yet we feel the steps are the solution to getting and staying well. We utilize professionals and the majority of us take medication. We accept this, yet it doesn't take away from what we do in M.D.A. The different facets of our recovery can work together very well. We don't pretend to have all the answers, just a spiritual solution. Today we are partners with professionals and approach the doctor relationship on a more equal give and take basis. This is healthy, so the freedom we are granted in the Third Step serves to enhance our own integrated network of help, not replace it. Also, we don't pretend to take the place of other twelve step programs like A.A., G.A., N.A., O.A., or S.L.A., we only augment their effectiveness. We don't have all the answers and we cooperate with the helping community and other twelve step fellowships. Some of our members need other twelve step programs, which is fine. Some don't need other twelve step programs, which also is fine. War is over.

The first three steps require honesty open-mindedness and willingness. Honesty in Step One to accept our powerlessness over manic-depression. Open-mindedness in Step Two to believe a higher power could help. Willingness in Step Three to make a decision to turn over our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood God. Steps one, two, and three show us not merely faith, but as importantly a faith, that works. The steps are our spiritual solution and provide a framework for recovery. The faith that works we get from step three will carry us through steps four to twelve. It doesn't stop there or anywhere, remember, we never stop living the steps, except the times the steps live us. While in active mania or clinical depression we may be too low or too high to consciously live any step. That's when we have faith that our progress, so far, insures our higher power will live the steps for us Even if all we can do in one day is pray and go to a meeting or if we are too depressed for even that, we do have a faith that works, even, if it only a faith in M.D.A. and the fellowship. We are dealing with a serious disease, one that has killed too many of us already, too many by their own hand.

Some of us have benefited from the Serenity Prayer at low points, high points and everywhere in between:

God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change. Courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference.

This simple prayer is of great help to many of our fellowship, some on a daily basis, some many times a day. We can see the first three steps in the Serenity prayer.

Accept the things we cannot change is a good way of looking at step one when we admit powerlessness over manic-depression.

In Step Two we came to believe is contained in the statement of change the things we can..

And Step Three when we turn over our will and our lives we are saying God you guide me. I trust you to give me wisdom to know the difference.

We don't pretend to know God's will for anyone. Instead, each day we trust he wants us in recovery and we ask for guidance and do whatever is set in front of us to do.

In Step Three we made our decision to turn over our will and our lives, the rest is up to a power greater than ourselves. Someone you have trust in, your sponsor, spiritual advisor, or trusted person, who is further along this path of action, ought to be used as a guide to the pathway of living the steps. Something attracted you to this person so listen to what works for them.

M.D.A. has been gifted with the Sea of tranquility, a prayer if you like, and one we read at the end of each meeting.

God, grant us all tranquility in accepting you as you fully accepted all of us in Manic Depressives Anonymous. In being true to ourselves in finding hope, love, understanding of others and wisdom in daily revelation.

Anonymous

God, grant us tranquility in accepting you as you fully accepted all of us in Manic Depressives Anonymous. God already accepted us before we ever turned over our will and our lives. Our higher power accepts us when we are in mania, our higher power accepts us when we are depressed. After all, our higher power loves us, who are we to argue?

We turn over our will and no longer play God in our own lives. We now trust our higher power will guide us.

We become true to ourselves in finding hope, love, understanding, and wisdom in daily revelation. We now know a deeper meaning to Step Three. God accepted us before we ever got here. Now we are willing to let our higher power guide us in daily revelation, and if sometimes self-will takes over, we simply get back on track, through Step Three, as soon as we can.

As manic-depressives, we experience states of mind that our higher power trusted us with that ninety-six to ninety-seven percent of people will never experience. We don't apologize for our manic-depression to any one! We have been created this way and through M.D.A., we will become true to ourselves and recover each day. Our higher power accepts us and listens to us every time we turn to our higher power, return to our higher power or turn over our lives to our higher power! Our higher power is with us!

When we first lived Step Three we turned to God, as we understood God. Understood leaves open the possibility to change in our understanding of God. Two things are clear, we are manic-depressives and our higher power accepts us.