Luke 12:24
Consider the ravens for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn, and God feeds them . Of how much more value are you than the birds?
Addiction causes a person to loose their sense of self worth.
The destruction that comes through using causes shame and guilt, both toxic emotions, to be heaped upon the individual.
Here in the Luke passage, Jesus is saying, "Hey guys....(Well, I don't think Jesus ever said "guys") you need to understand your position in Me. You need to understand that the things you are worrying about are really in My Father's hands."
God is working in us greater works than what we perceive. WE find ourselves focused on meeting our natural needs...food, shelter, clothing...a job. God has said, "I'll take care of those so you can concentrate on what I'm doing to you on the inside." What God is not saying is, "Sit back and relax and all these things you need will fall from the sky like manna." What I have found over the years is that God will sincerely lead you to provision. You have to possess it and own it.
Letting God work in my heart lets me see myself for who I am. I no longer get my worth from this world system or those around me. I gain my worth through "Whose" I am. I belong to Jesus and as such, He reveals to me who I am. I like what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:5-6 - "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, A Hebrew of Hebrews. Concerning the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." In other words, Paul says, "I'm the man! I"ve got all the right credentials." No one could argue with that. But Paul goes on to say, "But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish (dung) that I may gain Christ." Paul says that every thing the world counts as being of worth, he counts as dung / manure....That's pretty bold talk. How could Paul make such a statement? He ran into the real, deal Jesus. Not an ideal about Jesus...............not a concept of Jesus.............not a religious theory concerning Jesus....Paul ran into Jesus, and he was changed forever.
So as you begin this journey out of the darkness of addiction into the freedom and light of recovery, know and understand that the "HIGHER POWER" you are searching for is found in Jesus Christ.
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