Wenceslao – In taking step three, how do I trust God and let go of self reliance?

Wenceslao – In taking step three, how do I trust God and let go of self reliance?

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? Here, Wenceslao shares how step three of the Twelve Steps challenged his deep habit of relying only on himself and pushed him towards trusting a higher power. Speaking candidly, he admits he was once “very rebellious” in early recovery, ignoring suggestions and paying the price for it.

He describes feeling like “the hole in the donut” when he thought about letting go of control, worried that without his self-reliance he’d lose his identity entirely. As the pressure and pain mounted, Wenceslao started to do something different: he listened. He talks about finally hearing his sponsor, stopping the constant questioning, and taking “deliberate action” towards recovery. From there, things began to shift – not just for him, but for his family and loved ones too.

The conversation digs into what step three looks like in day-to-day life. Wenceslao explains that for him it’s a “practical step” that takes ongoing effort, because he often finds himself slipping back into self-reliance or leaning on the “God of science”.

When that happens, he returns to a simple question: “Do I either believe or am I willing to believe that there is one God?” He also shares how, at times, he has made his home group his higher power, calling it a helpful starting point but stressing that, in his experience, it eventually needs to change as recovery grows.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the idea of trusting something greater than yourself, or felt torn between control and surrender, this honest share might give you a few questions to ask yourself too. Where could letting go be the next step forward?