I know all the steps are important but the step made me coming back.
No problem with the 1st step but this God thing is something I had problems with since childhood.
Today I know there is a HP in my life as I'm setting here.
I do keep an open mind because things change.
More will be reveled.

Thought's please.

To many times people look at this step and focus on two points. The first, a power greater than ourselves, and 2nd the word Sanity.

I personally had to understand that the most important word in the Step was SANITY. I was not only an alcoholic but suffered from self induced bi-polar disorder... I was a speed freak as in IV methamphetamine user. I had to look at the unmanageability mentioned in Step 1 and realize that Einstine was correct " The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting a differant result". Until I could understand THAT my BEHAVIOR and MIND SET prior to letting go of the drug/alcohol was freakin nuts in no way could I work the rest of the steps. I had to understand that my best thinking got me to this place of dispair and only a power greater than me could help me change my mind... I had to become openminded.

Power Greater than ME? Wait... I am a drugaddict/alcoholic I am by instinct a rebellious S.O.B. and I'll be damned if anyone will tell me what to do. I couldn't accept that GOD idea (yet) let alone that I could be taught anything new (hell, I knew it all). I had to understand that, for a time, the only power I had was this strange group of people who were talking about me in those meetings. Had to understand that we fought the same battle and had shed the same blood. That they had already tried anything I could think of and they had answers... solutions to the biggest mystery (for me)in existance... HOW to live.

MY Higher Power became the EXPERIENCE, STRENGTH, and HOPE offered by these people and grew from there.

For myself i had to Google insanity because I thought it meant someone that was at a point of no return.

For myself I found that made sense to me.

Either you had a peace of mind about or self or you didn't.

Worked for me, and that's my experience.

God is everything to me and I have had faith since I was a child. This step is so important for me because it's not just saying God is more powerful than me ( which I believe and know He is)......it's talking about action. His (God's) grace and action of restoring us to sanity.

With our surrender and humility, this step allows Jesus to "take the wheel".

This Is just how I feel and my interpretation..

When I worked this step "you all" were the power greater than me. I needed something simple and I needed something that I could wrap my arms around. You were in the rooms, and I could relate with what you were saying. You were like me, and I wanted the recovery that you had.

well i really understand this step now too...i thought i did when i was still drinking..............because i cant do it on my own,i tried,but just dont work!

Boy, Just reread my response about insanity,. Its what happens when i try to do to many things at one time.

For myself when I Goggled insanity, one meaning was either you had peace of mind or you didn't.
As I said worked for me.

To recovery everyone..

Peace

I had a mantra that went on in my alcoholic brain as a newcomer "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity" Then came "but will I let it?"

I'm with you Soberpreacherman, Group of Drunks worked for me in the beginning too!

The very fact I still walked the planet proved to me that there was a Power greater than me.

The word 'could' was the important one to me....with that word came hope.

holycrap!!! My meeting tonight was on step 2 and I just walked in the door! Whoa trippy!!!! :)

I agree with M8, the word "could" meant a lot to me too.....that's exactly the hope I so desperately needed. I was told to just keep prayin until you feel it and all I know is that turned out to be true for me thank God, something I never dreamed possible. I "came to believe" very recently and it is a beautiful thing. yay!

When i first started aa i agreed with everyone else on a power greater then ourselves.. I actually thought i did believe it tho..... only thing wrong was i was still drinking and couldn't put it down still had so many doubts... Today I can honestly say God came knocking and I am open to it... I have no doubt in my mind today as he is the greater than ourselves and he can restore us to sanity, I am a big job in itself and so far as long as i listen i will learn....

Had to bring this one up lol. I couldn't do step 2. There was no power greater than me, I wasn't going to let there be. I'd believed I'd done a good job at protecting myself for years, up until that point. Insane yeah. So, we discussed this one a lot. It looks simple now, but to an alcoholic mind who didn't want anything to do with any God, it was a battle of the mind v the spirit. So after a few well placed slaps from my sponsor, my HP came to be the collective Group Of Drunks in the rooms of AA. If not, I don't think I would have ever gotten past Step 3. That God evolved over the years, and today I have a renewed relationship with the God I turned my back on when I was young. CM xxx