I
get this question a lot. Does God not heal the addict completely? Am I doing
Him a disservice by bringing up that old stuff all of the time. I got an email
today just as I was getting ready to write. Never one to waste effort (translate
that..lazy) I decided to kill two birds with one email.
Hey
Mike,
In
my devotional time today I was thinking about you because I was reading from
the Life Recovery Bible. I struggle with the fact that you categorize
yourself as an addict and that you still go to 12 step meetings. I guess
the questions I have are:
Does
this negate the idea that God can bring ultimate healing?
Does
it not bring all the negative junk back every time you go to a meeting?
In
Christ,
XXXXXXXX
Hello
XXXXXX,
First
let me say you have better things to think about during your devotions than me.
J But...thanks
for thinking.
It’s
a good question and I always answer it on two levels. As a Christ-follower and
a student of both scripture and theology I say “I am a new creature in Christ
Jesus. Old things are passed away and all things have become new.” (2
Corinthians 5:17) I am not an addict any
more. My heart and my identity have been changed.
That
does two things. It frees me from the shame of my past and it also allows me to
look at my life honestly, filtered through the mercy of God. King David
said, “My sin is ever before me.” Then he said, “Create in me a new
heart” (Psalm 51) He did not say take my past away but change my heart towards
it. So in my mind, the redeemed addict gets almost more benefit and blessing in
remembering his sin and recognizing how much God has done for him than in
trying to forget it.
Probably
should stop there but.....as a recovered addict let me say, the 12
Steps, and the idea of never forgetting how dreadful your “before”
life was, has worked for a lot of people for a very long time. And if it works…..
I’ll wear a pink tutu and whistle Dixie 24 hours a day if it keeps me
sober. So I go to meetings with my head held high. Thanking God that He
changed me and I am no longer who I was. But also remembering that I am
just one slip away from being back there again. There is tremendous grace
in both sides of that equation.
Now,
get back to your devotions.
Mike
