The first part of Chapter 5, “How it Works” is read aloud at the beginning of many meetings I attend. This usually ends with:
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
A few lines that come after this in the Big Book are:
Being convinced, we were at Step Three, which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?
These passages were written a little differently in a manuscript draft of this chapter:
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after, have been designed to sell you three pertinent ideas:
(a) That you are alcoholic and cannot manage your own life.
(b) That probably no human power can relieve your alcoholism.
(c) That God can and will.
If you are not convinced on these vital issues, you ought to re-read the book to this point or else throw it away!
If you are convinced, you are now at step three, which is that you make a decision to turn your will and your life over to God as you understand Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?
The interesting sentence contains the re-read the book or else throw it away line. While it sounds kind of harsh it is an unambiguous statement that drives home a number of important points.
Looking at what the book has discussed up to this chapter we can see that the ideas contained in these “three pertinent ideas” are repeated over and over. Why is that? Well, if you are reading this book, or working with a sponsor who is trying to help you work the steps, you need to begin stopping drinking by coming to a new awareness about your life. This includes knowing the truth about your alcoholism and where wanting to stop may leave you.
The book from this point forward is much different than the preceding chapters. Rather than continuing to primarily concentrate on offering an explanation of what alcoholism is, it shifts gears and focuses on a program of practical action that can help you to do what drunks can’t seem to do on their own – stop drinking. Maybe reading the first four chapters has convinced you that you are not an alcoholic. Great. You might as well “throw (the book) away” at this point though. The practical program of action that is about to be explained offers a solution to a problem you do not have.
For the alcoholic there can be a different kind of dilemma that arises at this point in the book. This needs to be squarely faced before reading any further or taking step three.
One needs to ask, what might not being “convinced on these vital issues” mean? Perhaps you feel your alcoholism is not that bad (drastic measures are certainly not necessary, you reason). Maybe you do not believe that a spiritual solution is necessary to solve your drinking problem or there is no way a higher power would intercede in your life, even if God did exist. It could be that you have a better idea about how you can stop (why work the steps, your life is manageable). Can you see a common thread here? These ideas are not conducive to wanting to work the steps. If you don’t believe, or don’t want to believe, what is said in a, b, and c is true for you, it might be best to just get rid of the book.
On the other hand, if you are unconvinced about these points but are not ready to casually cast aside the ideas you have been presented, you may want to consider starting over from the beginning of the book. It can take a lot to digest these ideas. Most drunks are never able to face up to the reality of their drinking and end up dying from this disease. It is also true it can be difficult to get through the steps for the first time. If you are uncertain about a,b, and c, going back over these ideas, by re-reading the beginning of the book, may be just as helpful as trying to go forward.
The unfortunate deal in all this is the sad fact that many, many drunks are extremely obstinate – we either want to believe drinking is not a problem or that it is at least manageable. Turning to a Higher Power for help is therefore not an issue, it simply seems to not be needed. While I wasn’t ready to buy into all of this “AA stuff” on pure faith alone, I was willing to try – and hoped that taking the steps and trying to turn will and life over to a then nebulous “Higher Power” could work.
It did. Thank God!
All the best in sobriety,
AA Blogger
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one more old comment from the pre transfer of this site to my new domain….
Maureen Hennessey Says:
September 20th, 2006 at 8:44 am
I’m 5 days shy of my 4th month, and currently working on this. I enjoy reading your blogs, I get alot out of them. I like the saying that AA is a simple program for complicated people. That is so true! Thanks again for your inspirational words. Keep up the good work!