Self Sufficient.....
Need for no one or no thing.....
"I can do this myself."
The boat is sinking, but I am still the captain.
Just try harder.
I'll do the same thing but hope for a different outcome.
Such are the thoughts that plague the mind of someone in addiction.
Such are the deceptive thoughts that hold this individual in bondage and fear.
Fear becomes a motivating factor in the life of someone who is addicted.
Fear of being discovered, although everyone around them knows all too well about the addiction.
Fear of loosing control (Like they have control of anything in their life).
My favorite saying by Delbert Boone, a recovering addict now turned counselor) is, "I'll go in rehab once I get my business taken care of. Truth is, you haven't had any business since 1941."
From time to time, I teach a lesson from the Book of Jonah that speaks about the inadequate self sufficiency we all seem to possess. The idea of "trying" harder when in fact Jesus is calling us to surrender.
Jonah 1:4- But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
Sometimes those events in our lives.......those terrible situations and circumstances that we seem unable to escape from, may actually be God's hand moving and working to draw us unto himself. It was by accident that you got arrested and put in jail, it may have been God saving you from sure death. It wasn't bad luck that your old drug buddies rolled on you....it may have been God drawing you into a place where you would listen to Him. I don't know why, we as part of the Western world, have such a hard time believing that God does operate this way. Truth be known, He is God, isn't He? He did create everything didn't He? Such a Person and Power would have little trouble manipulating the natural world in order to bring about His plans and purposes. I'm just grateful that He is a loving and benevolent God....and not some angry, old coot sitting up in Heaven with a grudge against us.
Jonah 1:5 -Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.
We find ourselves in dire straits and we automatically turn to the one thing we think will save us.
Our own god!
It may the god of Meth...
Or maybe yours is the the god named Jack Daniels.
Perhaps you god is called Crack or Weed.
Truth be known, the one god that seems to be universally served is the god of "ME".
We have set ourselves up to be the god we worship.
But at this point "ME" ain't working out and we are growing desperate as our world crumbles around us.
The men in the story of Jonah began to throw overboard the cargo they were carrying. Isn't that what addiction does to a person? Once they start growing desperate, rather than call out to the one true God, a person will began to rid themselves of their own personal cargo.
We use people so much and so often till they turn on us....
"I don't need them....even though my boat/ life is sinking and I'm going to drown....I'll just throw my parents and friends over board."
Possessions and material things? Throw them overboard.
I can't tell you the number of stories I've heard from people telling me about guitars, cars, jewelry and even houses that they got rid of in order to feed their addiction. Or as we are stating here in this posting, "In order to lighten the boat so they won't drown."
The picture I chose for today's posting is that of a light house.
The sea is stormy and the waves are crashing on the shore, but there in the midst of all the turmoil and devastation stands the light house. Doing what it was created to do. Shine into the darkness and give ships a bearing and warning about the impending shore line. Jesus is that light house for me. In my stormiest times and when my boat was sinking, there He was. Simply shinning His presence for me to see. Sending out the message that He was the way, the truth and life. If I desired to be saved then I was to make my way to Him. All it took was a simple cry for help. "Jesus, save me!" Sounds too simple doesn't it? I think the world wants to complicate this whole salvation thing too keep us in the darkness.
Don't expend yourselves any longer by trying to save yourself.
Turn to Jesus.
You might be surprised what happens.
God on you.....
mb
No comments:
Post a Comment