Jesus alone did what no one else could: He rose from the dead. And this is why Life Recovery Step Two says, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
This same power that brought Jesus out from the grave is the same power that a person stuck in addiction can plug into and bring them to—and help them maintain—sobriety.
If the lamp is not plugged into an outlet, a lightbulb is of little value. Likewise, a person’s life will not shine to their family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors if not connected to God’s power source. It takes work, but the results are well worth it.
One way to plug into God’s power source is to connect to Him by talking to Him daily. This happens through a daily quiet time of prayer. But for the individual in recovery who has gotten away from this habit, it will be only a matter of time before they are tempted to use—which is always crouching around the corner—and fall prey to relapse.
If someone is in recovery, what should they pray for? Sobriety. God will hear an addict’s earnest prayers, and He will be faithful to answer them. Here’s a tip: Pray specifically and passionately. Don’t pray about tomorrow or next week.
Take. It. One. Day. At. A. Time.
So, the person addicted to anything should pray that God will give them the strength to be sober today. Not tomorrow, not next week—today. If a person struggling with their sobriety prays specifically and passionately about their recovery, God will honor those prayers and begin the healing process.
Meditate on what Philippians 2:13 says, “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Another way to plug into God’s power source is by being in His Word. Whether using a devotional book or just reading a passage in The Life Recovery Bible and thinking about it, always pick out one truth or Bible verse to meditate on throughout the day. Prayer is talking to God; reading the Bible is listening to Him.
It’s incredible how relevant that truth becomes as situations come up. Then again, the same God who raised His Son from the dead and gave Him power is the same God who is vitally interested in a person’s pursuit of recovery and will give them power.
God loves anyone stuck in addiction, but He longs for them to succeed in sobriety.
by Dave Boyle