Psalm 119:133
Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.
It's about living life in balance. Owning our sobriety and approaching each day with the proper mindset and understanding that there isn't anything that's going to happen to you today, that with God you won't be able to face or handle.
Balance!
It's all about discipline.
Not a word found in the vocabulary of a person in addiction.
But a word that will be the salvation of someone in recovery.
Doing the little things that we are required to do in order to maintain our sobriety.
Doing the little things that God requires us to do in order to ensure that we are allowing God to work in us to change us.
Every time I receive a call or run into someone who is struggling in their recovery, the first thing I ask is "What are you doing for your sobriety?"
The answer I get usually is "nothing".
"I'm not going to church. I'm not spending time in my Bible. I don't pray like I should. I'm not going to meetings. I don't have a sponsor or a support group. What's wrong with me Bro. Mike?"
Why everything has gone South should be no surprise. We are not engaged in owning our new life and our relationship with Jesus. We are on cruise control and have no need to take the wheel. Well, you do if the car is going over the cliff or at least in the ditch.
Walking out this relationship with Christ involves discipline. It involves us doing what we have been instructed to do.
Philippians 2:12 reads: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Such efforts as "Working out our salvation" does not earn us the right to walk with Jesus. It strengthens us so we won't run away back to our old ways. As the big book of A.A. puts it....."Half measures avail us nothing." This new way of living is kind of a "all or nothing" life. Think of it like this. You don't buy a car and then never check the oil, or look at the tires to see if you need new ones. You don't just drive it and drive it without doing maintenance on the car. Why? Because you know that you have to take care of it. If you do so, then the car can take you places that you could never get to on foot. So it is with our relationship and sobriety that we have been given in Christ. We do the disciplines to keep us in harmony with Him. We do the disciplines to keep us focused on the journey and path of this new way of living.
If you need a place where you can be encouraged. Then come visit us at Vineyard Recovery. We meet on Saturday nights at 7 p.m / Downtown Gadsden. If you can't make it and you still see your need to be encouraged to not quit or give up.......then keep coming back here to the Greene Street Letters. Read the daily postings and listen to the audio messages. Feel free to comment or leave a prayer request. Should you need to talk with me, then call me at (256) 490-1868.
Merry Christmas from the "B's" in Attalla.
God on you....
mb
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