Attitude Towards Recovery

1 John 5:4-5 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Our performance in seeking and doing the will of God will be weakened if we have a take it or leave it attitude towards recovery and continue to practice bad habits. Growing spiritually requires continued application of the principles of recovery.

The God of today

Deuteronomy 20:3-4 He will say to them, ‘Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory! ’

Any activity in which we engage is worth a good start. If we start well there is a good chance of continuing successfully. If we can count God on our side how beneficial is it?

Having God on our side daily makes starting each day well so much easier.

Compassion goes beyond words

Job 6:14 A despairing man should receive loyalty from his friends,, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty.

When people are going through crisis, sound counsel is unwelcome. They may listen politely whilst fuming inside . When we try to help others in crisis we should be slow to give advice. Simply listening compassionately is sometimes better than offering solutions.

Self Management

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

When our lives are in crisis reason and logic disappear. Sensible decisions escape us, vision is non existent, common sense departs. We are confused and as a result suffer from self mismanagement. In recovery we need our wits about us. As life changes we need to manage ourselves in accordance with God's Word to ensure we make the right decisions at the right times to maintain daily spiritual growth.

Reach out

2 Corinthians 9:6 Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.

Recovery advocates we should help each other. Similar experiences make it possible for us to understand each others agony. Those who have overcome the stronghold of addiction have a responsibility to share our strengthening experience. Showing ourselves stronger through faith could be the difference between anothers success or failure.

Rise above feelings

Matthew 7:24 everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock.

We all have the ability to do something when we feel depressed and deflated. We can get on top of things again! We don't need to stay down. We have access to divine power. Have Someone able to impart new life and give us strength. Jesus Christ. Feelings are temporary but the Love of God for us is permanent and unchanging.

Prepared?

Matthew 24:44 Be ready then; for at a time which you have no thought of the Son of man will come.

People seldom invest in moral and spiritual effort as they do to chasing material things. Are we prepared for Jesus return right now? Or are we still manipulating circumstances in our lives to suite our own desires?

Everlasting Covenant

2 Samuel 23:5 Is it not true my house is with God? For He has established an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will He not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?


Through ups and downs God stands by us. He promises hope and forgiveness to us. We can be sure no matter how bad things may seem at times, He is faithful to His promises.

If only

Numbers 11:4-6 "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!"

We live in a land of plenty. Yet we continue to have a longing 'if only we had???'. It is a human weakness in us all to want what is no good for us. As we grow in recovery we need to develop an appetite for the good things set before us by God.

God loves the brokenhearted

Psalms 34:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit.

Usually we need to come to the end of our addiction with crisis (rock bottom) It is then we come to our senses, wake up to ourselves. Then we start to experience the 'poor me's.' We fear what the collapse of all we know and are 'comfortable with' will do to us.

God is waiting to attend to those who are 'broken in spirit' and dare call on Him. Whenever we are downhearted or defeated there is only one thing to do - cry out to God and learn to 'rely on Him'

Driven by Desire

James 1:14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.

While in recovery addicts react like any other person. But, the first drink or drug sets a terrible cycle in motion. Most of us have no idea why we take the first drink or drug. Some have excuses with which they are satisfied, but in their hearts, they really do not know why they do it. (The Big Book of A.A.) An indefinable something' causes disappointing relapse. Often this stimulates further recovery action, but sometimes leads to giving up.

When driven by desire and relapsing it is important for us all to remember 'perseverance is getting up one more time than you fall down'.

Incentive

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.

What we cannot, God can. The God of creation, who made chaos disappear and brought ordered design and beauty on planet earth is our God. We must daily keep up our intake of His promised Spirit. Keeping Him forever central in maintaining sobriety and spiritual progress.

Keeping Fit

Deuteronomy 5:33 Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess.

As with any exercise, following God's commands must be maintained on a regular, consistent basis. Otherwise we will become unfit. To walk with God, we must go His way. Doing so will result in God dealing with our unfit condition, establishing our fitness and keeping us fit as we continually grow in faith and obedience.

Sobriety Plus

Romans 5:8 God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Sobriety can only be maintained if we nurture the right attitude. Admission to being born a sinner is essential to recovery. Repentance means acknowledging our sinfulness and accepting how wrong our attitudes have been. Repentance is also confessing our wrong attitudes and actions and turning our lives over to God.

Enlisted as Disciples

Matthew 10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he may be as his master, and the servant as his lord.

Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. The Lord states 'those wanting to follow Him must renounce self, give up sinful practices, questionable habits, time, possessions and our future' This is a cost of Discipleship

Whilst this list may seem extreme, think of what Christ did for us on the cross. Meditate on it and the price of following becomes the best bargain we will ever receive in this life.

Human Dignity

Genesis 1:27 God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Being a special part of God's creation gives us dignity: He created us in His image. Out of love He created the earth and gave us a special place in it.

God's personal care of us gives us dignity; We become free through accepting God's Grace. Needing no longer to be bogged down by past sins.

Even insignificant acts carried out for God carry dignity: When we serve others - even in ordinary, everyday tasks, we are serving God. Serving Him brings dignity to everything we do in His name.

Principles of Witnessing

Proverbs 14:5 A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.

We must not become so preoccupied with our own recovery we neglect to share it with others.

We should never prevent others from the opportunity to respond to our sharing.

We should always share the truth. Good, bad and indifferent. God never wastes a failure or a victory.

Our witnessing should always glorify what God is doing in our lives we cannot do for ourselves.

Face reality

Ephesians 5:11-12 And have no company with the works of the dark, which give no fruit, but make their true quality clear; For the things which are done by them in secret it is shame even to put into words.

'People are not addicted to drugs, they are addicted to escapism'. This quote reveals so much about us.

I read an acrostics on fear yesterday by a man in the 614 community which also reveals our inner being.

Forget Everything And Run or
Face Everything And Recover.

Escapism is a spiritual problem. In recovery we all have an opportunity to rethink and come to sanity, to embrace the salvation of God. ' How shall we escape, if we neglect such great salvation?. (Hebrews 2:3)

Keep watch and listen

Unwillingness to see and tackle problems has always been a human weakness. Criticising others without seeing our own shortcomings is unacceptable. We must keep watch on ourselves, ask God's direction for future actions and listen to Him as He responds to us.

Proverbs 20:12-13 The hearing ear and the seeing eye are equally the Lord's work. Do not be a lover of sleep, or you will become poor: keep your eyes open, and you will have bread enough.

Victims of Superiority

Genesis 32:10 I am less than nothing in comparison with all your mercies and your faith to me your servant.

Bashing by bullies causes quick reactions, but few rush to aid the victims. No matter our size all of us are inadequate to combat one sort of attack or another. We don't all get bashed up, but few escape beatings in one kind of a conflict or another.

When confronted with conflicts that are superior to us we must remember no matter how big the issue Jesus has overcome the world. Faith in Him will lead to experience of His mercies of magnitudes we cannot understand.

Bad Bruising

Hosea 6:1 Come, let us go back to the Lord; for he has given us wounds and he will make us well; he has given blows and he will give help.

In life, much bruising occurs. Often when we think we are traveling well. (Ecclesiastes 4:10) tells us about having support to help us up when we fall.

Hurts are worse when no one cares. Healing of the inner spirit is never healed by lone effort.

Always be willing to ask Him to attend to you when you find yourself bruised and in distressing situations.

God holds us accountable

We fall, we regret. We sink low because of addiction. But God offers us all a way to recovery. He calls us to follow His instruction and He holds us accountable in obedience to Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 For you are all sons of light and of the day: we are not of the night or of the dark. So then, let us not take our rest as the others do, but let us be self- controlled and awake.

God's timing

When we expect things 'right now' it is important to remember we did not arrive at our current life location overnight. Recovery is a process that takes time. God is a God that gives according to our ability to handle.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but let us have joy in our troubles: in the knowledge that trouble gives us the power of waiting; And waiting gives experience; and experience, hope: And hope does not put to shame; because our hearts are full of the love of God through the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

God doesn't lie.

The salvation of Christ is adequate to rescue us from the horror of our past. Through acceptance of His truth we find refuge and hope in Him.

Hebrews 6:18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

Stuff happens

When we turn from disillusionment to a new-lifestyle, it is not going to be easy. We will run into all kinds of problems. God knows this and summons us to continually trust Him.

John 16:33 In the world you have trouble: but take heart! I have overcome the world.

Jesus can and will make us clean

You just need to ask Him too.

Mark 1:40-42 And a leper came to him and, going down on his knees before him, made a request, saying, If it is your pleasure, you have the power to make me clean. And being moved with pity, he put out his hand, and touching him said to him, It is my pleasure; be made clean. And straight away the disease went from him, and he was made clean.

Freedom is what we have.

Thank God for the rough road of awareness. For helping us to change from lives of lies, camouflage, humiliation and defeat - to lives of truth, openness, humility and freedom.

Galatians 5:1 Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.

Prayer

Praise God for always being available
Reach out regularly
Allow Him to communicate with you
Yield to His persuasions
Entrust your life to Him
Retain relationship with Him