Examining My Beliefs

When I first tried to work Step Three I hit a wall. The words about turning my will over to God's care felt empty meaningless. I was saying them but nothing was happening inside. That's when I realized this made it necessary for me to examine my beliefs. What did I actually think about God? About power? About trust? About surrender?

This examination was uncomfortable. I had inherited beliefs I'd never questioned. I'd absorbed ideas about God that I didn't actually believe but had never consciously rejected. I was trying to build a relationship with a Higher Power while carrying a bunch of baggage about who or what that Power was. No wonder I felt stuck.

I had to get honest about what I really believed versus what I thought I should believe. I had to separate my authentic spiritual sense from the religious teachings that had shaped me. Some of those teachings were helpful. Others were getting in my way. I needed to know the difference.

This examination led me to reconstruct my understanding from the ground up. Starting with what felt true rather than what I'd been told. Paying attention to my actual experience rather than inherited doctrine. Building a concept of Higher Power that I could genuinely trust rather than one I thought I was supposed to trust.

Today I can explore one belief about my Higher Power and ask myself: Is this truly mine or just inherited?