Who You Gonna Call?

Who do you look to for strength when life gets hard?
Who do you call upon when the whispers and taunts of your old lifestyle come to your mind?

Step # 1 of the twelve steps starts us off with the realization that we are powerless to manage our lives because of our using.

Step #2 states that we reach a point where we believe in a "P"ower greater than ourselves who could restore us to sanity, or the ability to make sound decisions.

Step #3 encourages us to turn our will and our life over to the care of God.

Even after these steps, we must keep moving forward in life. At some point you will be tempted to return to your old ways. I love the way God addresses this in Isaiah 31:1 - 
Destruction is certain for those who look to Egypt for help, trusting their cavalry and chariots instead of looking to the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

Egypt was a land of bondage and slavery. Israel had suffered there for over 400 years. Why would you want to look to Egypt for help? Our addiction was a "life" on bondage and slavery that lorded over us for many years. Why would I want to return to that place for help? Probably because we don't understand or trust God. I see so many who begin this life of recovery and then simply put everything on cruise control. They no longer "work" at their recovery. By that, I mean that they have discarded all the disciplines needed to keep in touch with this new life that has been given to them. They have stopped going to meetings..........they don't attend church............forget Bible study or prayer time............they have isolated themselves from positive people who could encourage them. Then when "Using" hits them, they are very vulnerable to being drug back into the old life style by the devil.

I Peter 5:8 reads: Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.
What is he looking for? Someone who has thrown away the very God-given weapons we are to use to defeat the schemes and plans of the devil.

IF you back up in Verse 7 you'll find some pretty good instruction on how to live daily and how to defend yourself from the attacks of the enemy.
So humble yourselves under the mighty power (or hand) of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he carers about what happens to you.
Humble myself ----agree with God who God says you are. Be able to follow instructions.
Give all my worries and cares. What falls under "all"?  Every one of them. Turn them loose and hurl them to God. Seems to me that there would be freedom and peace if I live in this manner.

Chew on this today and see what God would say to you about it!

God on you...
mb