Addiction/Recovery
Have you taken an inventory of your life? The purpose of taking an inventory of your life is to face the truth about yourself. Truth is the opposite of denial. By putting the truth in writing, you demonstrate that you are ready to break free from the patterns and behaviors of denial.
But taking an inventory isn’t easy. Facing the truth is painful because you must also face the reality of what you have lost in your life due to your shortcomings. It’s never easy to look at your deceits, abuses, shame, and disappointments. But even though this is a time of discomfort, know that the steps of recovery will lead you to humility and to live a life full of happiness. It may not feel that way as you work on your inventory, but those who have made the journey before you will testify to that truth.
When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him “grace and truth” (John 1:14, ESV). Here’s how the New Living Translation puts it: (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
On the path of life recovery, do you often find yourself veering off course?
Staying in your lane and following the speed limit will help to protect you on the road. Similarly, when it comes to changing the course of your life, you need structure and guidance to stay on the path to recovery.
You may struggle with addiction such as chemical dependency, or you might simply be tired of having unhealthy relationships. No matter the issue you are facing, it may seem as if your life has spun out of control. If you want to stay on track and succeed in recovery, (more…)
Faith/Spiritual
A scarcity mindset develops from a feeling of lack. You think there is a scarcity of what you need or think you need. It stems from believing that everything is limited—so you cling to everything from possessions to toxic relationships.
As a child, were your basic needs for food, shelter and love never met? And now that you’re an adult, are you afraid you won’t get these needs met? If so, you may have grown up with a scarcity mindset.
Living with a scarcity mindset is dangerous because, as Proverbs 24:34 says, it will “attack you like an armed robber.” This mindset threatens to destroy everything you hold dear — we become greedy and not generous when feeling like we don’t have all that we need. (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
“If we try to fix the world before fixing ourselves, we’ll do both badly.”—Steve Arterburn
When you were in the throes of addiction, was getting your next quick-fix more important than anything else—family, career, and even God? After all, your addiction came first no matter how much pain it caused you and your loved ones.
Now that you realize the damage your addiction has caused, you may think it’s your job to fix everyone and everything. But you can’t; you can only fix yourself. Therefore, your main goal is to get healthy and stay sober. In other words, to recover successfully, you must be selfish.
Here are five reasons that explain why recovery is selfish: (more…)
Addiction/Recovery
An addiction is a lot like being on a merry-go-round, but with the exception that it’s not fun.
You turn to food, gambling, shopping, one-night stands, codependency, hoarding, or something else. The more you turn to your addiction, the more shame you feel and want to numb that feeling. So you go back to the very thing you don’t want to do. Now you’re stuck in the vicious cycle of addiction. And it’s going so fast that you don’t know how to stop.
The apostle Paul put it this way “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t” (Romans 7:18). To interrupt this cycle of addiction, you must break free from pain, acting out, shame, and relapse that keeps you in bondage.
Here is a more in-depth look at each phase.
Pain — Before you even realize you are dealing with an addiction, you’re in pain. You feel emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational pain. These painful feelings create a longing for you to get rid of the pain. Pain and addiction go hand in hand—they feed off of each other. As your pain increases, your desire for relief increases. Recognizing you are in pain and in need of help can be the first step in recovery. (more…)
