Isaiah 37:31
And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.
Psalm 1:3
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in season. Whose leaf also shall not wither. And whatever he does shall prosper .
Taking root. Allowing a natural process to take shape and produce a desired result. If a tree is to be strong, then it sends its roots down deep in search of nourishment.
We have a number of extremely old oak trees on our property. Having lived here for 30 years, I realize just how much they have grown. Although the process of growth may seem slow to my eyes, it is never ending as these trees have weathered the seasons one by one over the years. Times of drought and times of rain, such as this year. They drop their leaves come fall and in the spring, they burst forth with new life. But the one thing is constant through it all. Their roots continue to grow downward and outward, and they continue to produce shade and comfort each year.
Much the same with a life in recovery. The higher you want to go in your recovery program, the deeper you have to go in your work and your walk with Jesus. It is painful to dig deep into your past so you can deal with issues and problems. It is painful to have these memories come flooding back over you, almost reliving the event or the situation. But this pain of going deep and releasing such things to God is the very thing that is going to make you strong and produce God's fruit in your life.
James 5:16 tells us to "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for each other, that you may be healed." Did you catch that? Work Step #4 and Step# 5. Confess...that is the sending downward of your roots as you are moving forward with this new life. Pray for each other only adds the Father's presence to your life. Doing such things does what for us? What does the verse say? That you may be healed. Isn't that what we are in need of? A complete, total healing? Yes! Something only God can do for us and in us. Jesus, the ultimate Higher Power has provided a way for us to prosper and grow. He has provided for us a life that has been beyond our reach. He has done for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Always keep in mind that addictive logic looks for the quick fix. Addictive logic looks for the easier, softer way to get out of the mess that has been created. Well, God is more than someone who helps you get out of the messes you've created through your bad choices. He is a God who works thoroughly and completely in a life that truly wants change. I, more than anyone else, want the quick fix. "Make it stop hurting, God! How long is this going to take?" To me, such thoughts only delay the healing. Like I said earlier in this posting...those oak trees in my back yard are always growing. It is a steady, constant growth that is not affected by what is going on around them. Much like the process of growing in Christ. Our focus should be on Him and what He is doing to us rather than the situations we are currently in, or the circumstances we are facing. No matter what, Jesus is there to show us the good path to take. The right choice to make. All I have to do is listen for Him, and then follow Him.
God on you....
mb
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