Philippians 2:12-13
......Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.
If our recovery doesn't work out....
If we turn to our old lifestyle...
It usually is because of one simple thought. "I am in control of this recovery. I will decide what I will or will not do. No one is going to run my life for me." Dangerous thoughts that ease themselves into our consciousness. It is really amazing at how we don't weigh our thoughts to see if they are live giving or life stealing. We simply let those boogers roll around in our mind, until we act on them.
Here is a thought that is #6 on the list of The Twelve Missteps of Recovery.
"If I follow the Bible, I don't really need to work any steps at all!"
Contrary to what a lot of people think, working the twelve steps is following the directives laid out in scripture. The message of the Bible is one that clearly defines a path that is designed specifically for those who are trying to move away from addiction. The path that is revealed in Scripture is a path of hope. It is a path of healing, as well as a path to restoration, all based on God's truth. A truth that will totally change the way you think.
In Romans 12:2, the apostle Paul gave us a warning and the solution to our problem.
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world,but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
First the warning: "Don't act like those around you who are still in their addiction." Here is a simple fact that seems to be impossible to grasp for some. Are you ready? Well, here goes.
"You are who you run with. You are who you hang out with."
Paul tells us that God is at work inside us when we "Step #3" it. Turning will and life over to His care. Well, His care includes taking out the garbage, so to speak. He does a work in us that changes the way we view life and the way we interact with it. I know it all sounds like some sort of sci-fi/twilight zone kind of deal. Believe me, it's not. It is an incredible work that our Father in Heaven does for those who embrace this new life.
The process of working the twelve steps is a blueprint to help bring order to our chaotic life. It is a set of boundaries, that if worked properly, will help to define us as we reject our old ways, to embrace this new life given to us by God. The steps bring a discipline to our lives that we are incapable of producing on our own. Seems like this would be a good thing, would it not? I think maybe yes.
Think on these things.....
God on you....
Michael b.
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