March 4: Not My Will

There’s something you want badly, and you’re not sure God wants it for you.

The night before He was crucified, Jesus went to a garden to pray. He knew what was coming. Luke says He was in such anguish that His sweat fell like drops of blood. And He prayed: Father, if You’re willing, take this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done.

Jesus was honest. He told the Father what He wanted. He didn’t pretend to be calm. And then He surrendered.

That’s the shape of Step Three. Not pretending you have no will of your own. Not faking peace. Telling God the truth about what you want, and then placing it in His hands.

For many people, “not my will” is the hardest sentence in recovery. We’re used to running things. We have opinions about how our marriage should go, how our job should go, how our kids should act, how quickly our recovery should progress. Self-will, left in charge, kept steering us toward the bottle. Not because we wanted to drink, but because we wanted to control everything, and when we couldn’t, we drank.

Letting go of control can feel like losing yourself. It’s actually the opposite. It’s the way out of a prison.

Jesus’ prayer also shows that surrender isn’t a one-time event. He prayed it three times that night. Sometimes you’ll hand something to God in the morning and take it back by lunch. That’s normal. Hand it over again. Each time gets a little easier.

It helps to be specific. “Not my will” in general is good. “Not my will about this conversation with my wife tonight” is better. Name the thing you want to control. Tell God honestly what you’d like. Then say the words.

You’ll notice something when you do. A strange kind of peace, even before anything changes. That’s what comes from no longer carrying what was never yours to carry.

One thing today

Pick one situation you’ve been trying to control. Pray about it in two parts: first, tell God what you want. Second, say “not my will, but Yours.”

A prayer

Father, here’s what I want. You already know. I’m placing it in Your hands. Not my will, but Yours be done.

Surrender is the core of Step Three.

Talk it through with Jimmy or Sarah — first month free

Jimmy and Sarah are AI sponsors who know the Twelve Steps and the Bible. They'll listen, walk the steps with you, and keep pointing you to real people: a meeting, a sponsor, a church.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Free to download · first month free, no card · adults 18+

After the first month, talking with Jimmy or Sarah needs Plus ($9.99/month or $59.99/year).