Faith

We Are All in Recovery

by Jeff Drinnan
06/25/20
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Shortly after God took home a woman who cried out to me to help her conquer her voluntary slavery to drug addiction, I got involved in a ministry which helps people trapped in this besetting sin. I started attending a local meeting, where I learned from the horse's mouth how God helped people have victory of this sin. I also helped set up and attended events that this and other ministries held.

At one meeting, I was given a copy of The Life Recovery Bible. This enriched my learning from the books my pastor gave me to read to teach me to better help others. The more I read books and attended meetings to see how faith in God and His guidance helped addicts, I learned more about how these same principles helped me deal with my own brokenness.

We are all broken, tainted with sin since the fall of Adam and Eve. Reading the Bible, praying, assembling with the saints, singing psalms and other forms of musical worship, regular admonishment by my brothers and sisters helps keep me on the right path, from which I sometimes start to stray. Salvation is immediate, but santification, becoming more like Jesus, is a lifelong process. "And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." -Phillipians I:6.

Not all secular psychology is bad; not all of it conflicts with scripture. Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung related a story about his visit to an insane asylum with someone he called "an intelligent layman", who, upon seeing the inmates, remarked that they are just like the rest of us, only their problems are greatly magnified.

We, like sheep, have strayed and gone our own way. The Great Shepherd takes us in and watches over His flock, nurturing us and leading us in the right way.

The Life Recovery Bible, and it's commentary and walk through the 12 steps, is a reminder that, although I don't have a drug problem, I still need to be involved in learning and meditating on God's Word, as I am a sinner saved by Grace. As Christian counselor and pastor Ed Welsh points out, drug addiction is a result of idolatry. We all have idols that temp us; it's just a matter of degree and kind.

I am still in recovery, although, as the apostle Paul wrote, sin should not dominate my life. Staying involved in recovery helps prevent this from happening. It helps me realize that it is easy in this world to fall away from the Great Shepherd, who calls and cares for us lost sheep. God takes us sinners and, through his Word and power, turns us into saints if we only trust and obey!

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." -2 Timothy 3:16.