Part 1
A maid said to her mistress: “I notice that when you sit, you sit tight. You are all screwed up and tight on the inside. Now look at me. When I work, I work hard; but when I sit, I sit loose.” There was a real philosophy of life in that statement. When you work, work hard; but when you stop working, then stop working—relax. You cannot repeat to yourself too frequently the always healing statement: “Let go; let God.” Let go your inward fears and worries, and let God absorb them in grace and love. Let God replace the false energy of fear and worry with the true energy of faith working through love. My Lord God, I’ve burned up my soul and body and mind in the false energy of fear and worry. Such tension has taken me nowhere, except deeper into the mire. Help me this day to link all my energies to the calm of your purposes and to the peace of your power. Then I shall know harmony and accomplishment. Amen. E. Stanley Jones. Abundant Living.
The truth and practice of the concept of “Letting Go and Letting God” begins with the 3rd Step. This is the crux for the successful integration into truly embracing a new way of living, “For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves.” BB pg. 68
CRUX: a main or central feature.
TRUST: assured (characterized by certainty or security : guaranteed) reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.
“Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we (I) decided to turn our (my) will and our (my) life over to God as we (I) understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?” BB pg.60
Convinced: is to bring (as by argument) to belief, consent, or a course of action: to Persuade. Persuade: to move by argument or expostulation (to reason earnestly) to a belief, position, or course of action (i.e. Program of Recovery/12 Steps).
“This is the how and why of it. First of all, we (I) had to quit playing God. It didn't (doesn’t) work. Next, we (I) decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our (my) Director. He (God) is the Principal; we are His agents. He (God) is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we (I) passed to freedom.” BB pg.62
Decided: Unquestionable, Indisputable. Free from doubt or wavering, not questionable.
Principal: influential, most important, consequential: with respect to power to produce an effect.
Concept: organized around a main idea or theme.
Keystone: something on which associated things depend for support.
“When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He (God) provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him (God) and performed His (God’s) work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His (God’s) presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.” BB pg. 63
Sincerely: with truth, genuineness, or straightforwardness.
Remarkable: worthy of being or likely to be noticed especially as being uncommon or extraordinary (exceptional to a very marked extent).
Conscious: personally felt.
Presence: something (such as a spirit) felt or believed to be present.
Reborn: regenerated (formed or created again), revived (restored to consciousness or life).
“We were now at Step Three. Many of us said to our Maker, as we understood Him: "God, I offer myself to Thee-to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!" We thought well before taking this step making sure we were ready; that we could at last abandon ourselves utterly to Him.” BB pg. 63.
Maker: a creator.
Bondage: servitude (lacking liberty to determine one's course of action or way of life) or subjugation (to make submissive) to a controlling person or force.
Abandon: to give oneself over unrestrainedly.
Utterly: to an absolute or extreme degree-to the full extent.
