In the 4th edition of Alcoholics Anonymous (the AA Big Book), on pp.407–420 there is the most amazing sharing entitled, “Acceptance Was the Answer.” There is a quote that twelve-steppers often reference.
“Nothing, absolutely NOTHING happens in God’s world by mistake.” (p. 417)
In the previous edition, that quote was found on page 449, hence the saying from old-timers, “Well, this is something I’m going to have to 3rd Step and 449.” That was code for “trust God” and “accept things as being just the way they are supposed to be.”
I had a hard time with that line (as many people do) until the Lord translated it into “Mormonese” for me: Nothing, absolutely NOTHING happens in God’s PLAN by mistake.”
At first, I was confused or perplexed. “How can You say that, Lord?” I mean, so many horrible, awful, no-good things happen in this world!
But as I pondered, I felt the Spirit confirm that our Father in Heaven is all powerful. He has a great plan for every eventuality. Anything—every thing—that happens in this world can and will be orchestrated into His plan. No matter how difficult or painful the events of our lives are, God can weave them into harmony with His purpose and consecrate those heartbreaks to our good.
In other words, I need to trust and believe that God is more powerful to make right than we are, either individually or collectively, to mess up. God allows agency to take its course (even Lucifer’s) and He weaves it all into a most powerful growing experience for us—at least those of us who turn to Him and allow Him to teach us.
Our mistakes can be turned to some of our greatest blessings as soon as we learn from them. God’s all-encompassing wisdom and power is far more than equal to our individual mistakes. We can calm down and stop beating ourselves and others up over our mistakes. We can let Wisdom and Truth (two of God’s names) teach us what we came here to learn by our own experience.
~Colleen H.
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