Marching Orders

So here we are....
Moving from an old life of addiction and darkness....
An old life of sin and destruction....
Into this new way of seeing, breathing, moving and interacting with the world.
The Steps tell me that JESUS is the Higher Power I've been looking for.
JESUS is the missing piece that will take me into this new dimension of living.
My surrender of will and live over to Him.....
My commitment to follow and obey Him......
My love for Him and His word  (Bible).....
Will be the foundation for this new life in recovery.

I'm recovering from drugs....
I'm recovering from alcohol...
I'm recovering from failed relationships...
I'm recovering from the fall of humanity back in the Garden of Eden.
How can I recover from such?
JESUS.
Sounds too simple doesn't it?

Part of this new life involves the idea that I don't let life drive me...
In other words, I don't spend my time reacting and making choices because of the things that happen to me. My bank account is at zero...I have no money....Gee! I think I'll get high. My boss calls me in for a drug test at work....I know I'm going to fail....I quit my job and go get high....
You see in our old way of thinking, we automatically resorted to old behaviors in order to deal, or in this case..not deal, with circumstances. In this new way of living, I have the Spirit of God at work inside me....As I grow in Him...as I mature in Him....I develop an ability to discern and hear what I should do. I know it sounds kind of strange and out there but trust me...it really does happen and work this way. To put it another way....when "life" happens, I allow God to show me the best way to interact with it. I listen for God to direct me in what I should do...where I should go.

I always like it when I find Scripture that reflects what I'm trying to write about here in this blog. Yep! I found some yesterday as I was rolling around what today's posting would be. Paul, the Apostle.....He wrote some good stuff.
He knew about how hard life is and could be.
He knew what it was like to suffer for the name of Jesus.
*Little secret here...when you begin this new journey with Jesus as your Lord and Savior...the world won't have much to do with you. You become a square peg in a dodecahedron hole."

So Paul gives us some good advice in I Corinthians 16:13-14 ----
Watch -- Keep your guard up at all times. Be aware of others around you and know that they may not have your best interest at heart.

Stand fast in the faith -- "In the faith" refers to my trust in God. That he has made certain promises about this relationship I now have with His Son, JESUS, and that He will carry through with those promises. My faith is not in my own ability to stay sober. My faith does not rest in my intellectual prowess to not drink or drug...My faith rests on the person of Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross of Calvary.

Be brave -- It's a big ol' scary world out there. This recovery stuff...this relationship with JESUS requires a certain amount of courage. Fear was one of the ol' allies of our past life. It was the switch that was thrown when we had to face something that was too hard...too tough...too painful...the fear switch would be thrown and we'd run to the comfort of drug of choice. No so any more....I stand in the power of the Lord.

Be strong -- Here's the weird part. In order for me to be strong...I have to stay in touch with exactly how weak I am. I remind myself daily of Step #1--- I admit that I am powerless...I am weak....the evidence of such is found in the simple fact that my life had become unmanageable. Scripture says that "In my weakness...His (God's) strength is made perfect."

Let all that you do be done with love -- What falls under the word "ALL?" Everything! In everything I do....I must let it come from a place of love. Not the love that the world has taught us, but the unconditional, agape love of God. I choose to love! This is something that I'm still working on.....

I hope that you found something in today's posting that would encourage you to keep on in this journey of recovery.
Come back and visit GREENE STREET anytime.
We try to be here 7 days a week with tidbits and snippets of words and thoughts that would encourage you in your daily life.

God on you....
mb