I heard a pastor speak recently. He spoke of so many things that shouted to me about recovery. He said this, which feels counterintuitive—
“We are not called to fit in, we are called to stick out”
When I hit my bottom, I had to do something differently. Stop fitting in and start sticking out—separate myself from the drinking that was damaging my life and those around me, and start demonstrating change. Do this life differently. I immediately jumped into service when I got sober. Realizing that by just sitting next to somebody in a meeting was service.
Imagine that.
Our society thrives on fitting in, doing what everybody else is doing. We’re “in” and “cool” when we drink and party like them. Well, not exactly. That’s just supporting each other in bad behavior—That’s easy.
The hard part is stepping away. Sticking out. Showing others the way. How it can be done in love and support and without our destructive behaviors, whatever they may be—alcoholism, codependency, drug addiction, over-eating, over-anything.
This is all counterintuitive, right? What does that mean?
Definition of counterintuitive: contrary to what one would intuitively expect
When I got sober, I felt like I was all alone. Separated from everyone who was having fun, doing the “in” thing, being happy, fitting in. Then, I found out just the opposite. I learned there were others like myself, learning how to fit in in a different way—with others that were staying sober, going to meetings, reviewing and changing old behaviors that didn’t work for them anymore (the 12-steps of AA) working with others and sharing their lives in love and sober fellowship.
I chose to become “part of” life rather than to separate and isolate. In doing that, I automatically chose a path to stick out and be an example of how God intended for me to live. And the cool part was that I realized it had come out of the MESS I had made of my life!
That God could use my MESS as a MESSAGE to others.
So grateful.
You can do this too.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
Click on my books below to buy.
