I don’t like the word “hate.” I rarely have situations that call for that word.
I hate the disease of addiction.
There it is.
Addiction is the thing that stands between me and my access to God—prevents me from becoming the person I was meant to be in God’s plan for me. The love of God is accessed only when I turn to Him and let go of the prison of addiction. I also hate watching others suffer from this malady.
I heard a woman say in a recovery meeting yesterday, “We can’t change what we don’t acknowledge.” Whew. First step of the 12-Step process—
“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives have become unmanageable.”
There is the lifevest—recovery through the 12-Step process.
I get to put on the lifevest of recovery when I admit I have a problem. This is not “neat.” It’s messy. We have to admit there is a problem, reach out for help, and then we have to take action, first, in our own hearts. And, then physically, move forward into something different. Step out of victim role and into owning our situation, then our lives. Not an easy move. It just takes one small step to begin.
And, the lifevest of recovery is a size large—it’s vast. Available to all. It includes meetings (now online/Zoom), talking with others like ourselves, working with a sponsor to guide us through the 12-step process, prayer—and lastly, it includes me. I have to take action. Put on the lifevest.
I think of addiction as the enemy. I don’t have a chance, if I just let the enemy win. I need to take that first step to begin the battle, knowing God is on my side and you are on my side.
Admit.
Submit.
Commit.
I did it. So can you. We can do it together.
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
James 5:16
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