Step 3 - Trust

We decide to trust God with our lives and wills by accepting his grace through Jesus Christ.

Foundation 3

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Key Theme

Decide to trust God’s grace through Christ.

Remember

There is hope for you – God understands your pain, has paid for your sins, and offers you the gift of recovery through Christ.

Things to Remember

• Step 3 is the high point of the program!
• Trust is the foundation of faith. Many people in recovery have a hard time feeling that anyone can be trusted. Trust is a decision not a feeling.
• We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone.
• Many Christians have entrusted their lives to God for eternity but haven’t yet entrusted their wills to him on a daily basis. If we really believe that God’s will and ways are best then we need to trust his character, wisdom and direction daily, not our own thoughts/feelings.
• Make sure you are giving time each week for people to open up about anything that they are struggling with.
• Give an overview of Step 3 – TRUST as you begin the group discussion time. Ask someone to read the Foundation Verse and Key Theme on p. 73.

Key Questions

As you review the lesson, ask God which questions to focus on for the lesson. Some possibilities are:

• Day 6 review questions.
• Day 1, Q4: Is it difficult for you to accept that eternal life is only available as a gift of grace (unearned, undeserved, and free)? Why or why not?
• Day 3, Q3: Did you come to recovery for relief from current suffering or circumstance (whether a result of your own sin or the sins of others affecting you), or to know God so that he can change you?
• Day 4, Q5: At this time, who do you say that Jesus is?

Encouragement for Participants

• Be honest about questions or doubts about Christ.
• Continue to come to group ready to discuss and be prepared. (You may begin to see people struggle with curriculum and attendance around this time.)
• Continue to reach out and support one another.
• Offer to meet with them if they have any questions about Jesus.
• Can anyone quote the Foundation 3 verse – Ephesians 2:4-5?

Encouragement for the Leaders

• No true recovery exists apart from trusting Christ!
• This week brings participants face to face with Jesus’ true identity and offer to them.
• God is the one who saves, but this may be the time he uses you to redirect someone’s eternity.
• This is a good time to schedule some meetings outside the group with participants to see how they are doing.
• Pray that the eyes of the participants would be opened to see who Jesus really is.
• Pray that participants would trust their lives and wills to Christ.