Embracing God in the Third Step of Your Recovery Journey

We all have a God of our own understanding

Created in

As a man who follows Jesus, I used to struggle with the “choosing a God of your own understanding” part of the third step mainly because I fully believe in the healing power of Jesus, and I wanted everyone to experience it. I also know many people who struggle with alcohol and other addictions have experienced trauma in their past, some even quite terrible. That leaves some struggling with the concept of God, and this step might not come easily. I respect that. It is a fine line.

I have been reading a book called by J. Keith Miller, and a light bulb went off. Even for regular Sunday church-goers, the God they and I worship is also a God of their own understanding.

We are products of familial instruction, pastoral teachings, personal thoughts, and life experiences. Some people view God as a moral, kind, loving, sweet Lord who loves us unconditionally. Others find God to be an angry, bat-wielding God who is waiting for us to mess up and punish us to teach us a lesson so that we don’t screw up anymore.

Does that mean that either is wrong? Nope.

It means they have a God of their own understanding that works for them.