Action
It’s time for a new verse. We’re staying in the Psalms for this one.
One of my intentions this year is to select verses that make sense, that can be readily applied to everyday life and that can be good directions for our spiritual posture.
This one has everything to do with our words and our thoughts. “Restraint of pen and tongue” ring a bell to anyone?
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
As you memorize this one, don’t forget to review Psalm 119:11 as well.
Trust me, once they stick, they’re not going anywhere so long as you keep them fresh.
This is easy.
Or, at least, it doesn’t have to be hard.
You got this.
Reflection
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1
Stopping certainly can feel like being sacrificed.
Really stopping doesn’t always happen when we put down the bottle.
Sure, we stop polluting our bodies and come up for air, for reflection. We admit there’s a problem. Heck, we often quickly admit that finding God is a solution.
But it’s not till we decide to follow Him that we really stop.
For many, this turning of our will and lives over to the care of God simply starts with entrusting our sobriety to a friend, a mentor, or a group.
Maybe God is still a stretch.
I don’t think he minds; we’ve been more stubborn at many other times. And if it’s the difference between trying a new way of life and striking out alone, then I’ll be the first to tell you: use your own conception of God to make a beginning.
Just don’t close the door on the possibility of more; the sober agnostic will agree: willingness is still indispensable.
Are you willing to believe that you’re not God?
And once we’ve come to believe in God—even one that we don’t understand yet or are pissed off at—we can begin the slow work of moving toward him.
The first step of which is presenting our bodies to him; freeing them of the bondage of addiction; stepping toward him in faith; letting him lead us up the mountain of our life.
Are you willing to walk uphill?
God, you can take charge now.
Resources
The First 90 Days (pdf) - a 90-day series not found in the book
Book List (amazon) - My favorite recover/faith reads.
12-Step Christianity (YouTube) - My thoughts on discipleship and sponsorship.
Keep Leaning Forward
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