Sid's Recovery

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, ... but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish... (2 Peter 3:9 ).

Early on in our recovery process, like the father who cried out, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24 ), we begin to realize that there is a higher power that is willing (2 Peter 3:9 ) and able (Ephesians 3:20 ) to deliver us from our dysfunction.

This may not be the god of our fathers. This God may not even be recognizable by most Christians. When abused by so-called Christians, many look away from Christianity to find a loving Higher Power. In many cases, I believe they find the same (one and only) true God -- just by a different name.

What ever we call our loving Higher Power, we find in this Power a willingness to deliver us from our sins (Matthew 1:21 ), which bring us so much pain.

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." (Step 2)

It's been said that "there are no atheists in foxholes". As we begin to recognize our own powerlessness, as we hide in our "foxholes" from facing the "war" against the evil that so easily besets us (Hebrews 12:1 ), we begin to realize that there must be a power greater than ourselves that can deliver us, because these battles are just too great for us to be able to fight them on our own.

I think that the God of creation put within us a desire, and a need, to fellowship with Him and to reverence Him as our Lord and Savior, because He is the only God that can bring us true happiness. The trouble is that we tend to look to fill that most basic of all human needs with other gods. Since the God of creation is not a god of control, he lets us make those choices to follow other gods. But those gods do try to control us -- to remove our freedom of choice. Consequentially, we find ourselves in behaviors that become habits that often lead to addictions -- things that forcibly control our lives.

I believe that only the God of creation, the Almighty God of the universe, is able to deliver us from those little gods that forcibly control our lives -- those little gods that force us into our "foxholes" of isolation. Friends, He is able. Yes He is able to do infinitely more than we can even imagine to restore us to sanity.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21 )

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." (Step 2)

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee." (Isaiah 54:10 )

When we begin on our road to recovery/sanctification, we may have some serious reservations about God, often because of people in authority who have let us down, or even abused us. They may have even been people who should have been Godly examples to us. As a result, we tend to see God in the same light. But as we progress through the recovery process and begin to experience positive results, the God of our understanding gradually changes. We come to know and love the God of infinite love and compassion.

Instead of dwelling on questions like, "Why did God allow these bad things to happen to me?" we become thankful that He is always present with us, especially when bad things happen, protecting us from even worse things, and holding us in His arms of loving kindness. We begin to dwell more on questions like, "How could God love me so much that He would risk His eternal life by dying on the cruel cross to save a wretch like me?" Instead of seeing God as a tyrant, through those who have abused us, we begin to see Him more as the God who loves us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3 ), who will never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5 ). We begin to see God as the one who will ultimately take us out of this world of sin and death, and give us eternal life with him.

Instead of seeing God as vindictive, wanting to punish us for our sins, we begin to see Him as the one who died a cruel death on the Roman cross to pay the penalty for our sins. And, just as He had victory over the grave and lives again, so does He now live to give us victory over our behaviors that bring us so much pain. Of course, we do have a part to play, not in paying the price of our sins, but in cooperating with God as He offers deliverance from our sins. As we choose to serve God; as we choose to give Him our will, in times of trial and temptation, we thereby die to our own selfish desires. As a result, He can then raise us to newness of life by giving us the victory over those sins that have so easily beset us in the past.

And, not only in times of trial and temptation is He there for us, but throughout each and every day He is ever sending us messages through our thoughts to help us with even the smallest of challenges and choices that come our way. He doesn't do this to control us. No, He only wants to help make life better for us. Whether we choose to die to our preferences and live to His infinite wisdom is totally up to us. No matter what we choose to do or say, He is always there to lead us and guide us in the best possible direction, which we would choose anyway, if we knew the beginning from the end, as He does.

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:1-3 )

With a God like this, why wouldn't we want to pursue this process of sanctification? Why wouldn't we want to share this Good News with others?

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." (Step 2)

I came to believe that my higher power, God the Father through Jesus Christ, not only could restore me to sanity, but longs to do that good work in me. Here are some reasons why:

• I came to realize that I could NOT restore myself (Step 1), that I needed a higher power than myself.
• The angel said that Jesus "shall save his people from their sins". (Mt 1:21 )
• Paul said that we are NOT "sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God" (2 Cor 3:5 ).
• And that we can be "strengthened with might by his Spirit" (Eph 3:16 ).
• Jesus "is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him " (Heb 7:25 ).
• Jesus is "not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter 3:9 ) and is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Eph 3:20 )
• But, my biggest reason for believing is because Jesus does all these things for me, as I put my trust more and more fully in Him and choose to follow Him (Step 3). This is why I can say with Paul, "I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13 ).

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:4 ).

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." (Step 2)

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Phillipians 2:13 )

For many this is a very difficult step. Often, this is because of the way we were treated as a child. But, Jesus said that "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23 ). But, I must ask myself, "Can I believe?". Many times, I must pray, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24 ). I believe that Jesus will never leave us, nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5 ) and that He will continue to be with us till "the end of the world" (Mt. 28:20 ).

"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." (Step 2)