He sent from above, He took me.
He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me.
For they were too strong for me.
Then confronted me in the day of my calamity.
But the LORD was my support.
No.#1 thing I hear from people who are moving into a life of recovery...."I feel so alone"...."I feel as though I'm in this by myself".
To some degree they are.
They have left one life style to embrace another.
They have left so-called friends and really haven't made many new ones.
The social graces of interaction are really a part of addiction, if you know what I mean.
The one thing I try to do is reassure them that while they are making this transition, they are not alone. They are not alone if they have made this relationship with Jesus a part of their life. He promised to be there with them.
Jesus promised to be there for them.
We tend to forget this in the heat of a moment when we're struggling to make sense of life.
We tend to forget the truth of Christ, that He is with us, when we feel the tug of our old lifestyle pulling at us to return.
In such a moment, when someone is telling me that they feel alone, I ask them, "What's the truth?"
"What do you mean?" they usually reply.
"What is the truth? Are you alone?"
I want them to see that feelings are a part of life, but feelings aren't what I measure life by. Feelings are a great thermometer, but they are a lousy thermostat. In other words, you can gauge your feelings for the moment, but they should not dictate your decision making.
"So, you feel alone...what's the truth?
I remind them that Jesus said He would never desert them or forsake them. So what's the truth? The truth is, our feelings do not convey to us...wait for it...the truth.
That is why it is so important for us to "GET" the word inside of ourselves. To fully realize the extent that God IS our support, no matter what we may be facing or dealing with. Our greatest prayer should be that God would teach us, show us, lead us into a deeper understanding of what it means to truly trust Him. No wonder we become discouraged and give up...we lay claim to knowing God, but we never exercise the values or promises that have been given to us. It's like someone who is drowning in the ocean, crying out, while all around them are thousands of life savers. All you have to do is reach out and take one. It's the same with the truth and promises of God. All you have to do is reach out, in faith, and lay hold of it.
Get your Bible and start reading in the book of John.
Take your pen or pencil and begin to underline the words whenever you run across a promise/passage. Read it...mark it...then pray.."Today, I will take this promise from You, Lord, into my heart." Then think on what you've read throughout the day. Let it roll around and get all down inside you.
There...
That's a start...
Go be with God today...
God on you...
mb
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