His Human Will Had Failed

But my friend sat before me, and he made the pointblank declaration that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable. Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than the best he had ever known!  Big Book, p11
I can't count the number of times I have tried to force my will on anything and everything.  I thought I could control my drinking.  I thought I could control my spouse.  I thought I could control my kids.  I literally beat myself into a place of complete defeat through messes I created as a result of my own thinking, will and behaviors.  After a bit of human will run riot, I am always brought to my knees in a beautiful state of surrender, which takes me always back to Steps 1, 2 and 3.  Here is the 3rd Step Prayer used by Dr. Bob:
Dear God,
I'm sorry about the mess I've made of my life.   I want to turn away from all the wrong things I've ever done and all the wrong things I've ever been. Please forgive me for it all.  I know You have the power to change my life and can turn me into a winner. Thank You, God for getting my attention long enough to interest me in trying it Your way.  God, please take over the management of my life and everything about me. I am making this conscious decision to turn my will and my life over to Your care and am asking You to please take over all parts of my life.  Please, God, move into my heart. However You do it is Your business, but make Yourself real inside me and fill my awful emptiness. Fill me with your love and Holy Spirit and make me know Your will for me. And now, God, help Yourself to me and keep on doing it. I'm not sure I want You to, but do it anyhow.  I rejoice that I am now a part of Your people, that my uncertainty is gone forever, and that You now have control of my will and my life. Thank You and I praise Your name. Amen.

Thank You Higher Power.  Thank You for taking my life as you would have it and not as I try to create it.  Thank You for changing my heart, my life and my behaviors one step at a time.  Thank You for showing me mercy in this process of recovery.   Thank You.