New Life In Recovery Through Prayer

Life is more than just about us.  God wants us to be like Him with all the wonderful character qualities that give life and hope to the world around us. God wants us to work together with Him through compassion and care to make and remake things that need healing.  Prayer is our way of co-operating with God so that together we get the job done.  God acts in answer to prayer.  Whose life have we touched by prayers offered on their behalf today? 

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)

Prayer is not designed to change God.  It is designed to change us.  Prayer is not calling on God to bless our activities.  Rather, prayer brings us close to God, helps us know His will, helps us understand life in a new way and prepares us to obey God’s plan.  Prayer reminds us that God is the creator and we are the created.  God is in charge and our lives work when we work together with God. 

In addiction we live for ourselves.  In true recovery, we live for God.  Addiction isn’t just ingesting chemicals or an out-of-control habit.  The real root of addiction is living for what pleases me, myself, and I.  True recovery is making the essential change to first live for God.  Prayer, and obedient action in response to God’s direction, opens the door to true recovery and real life.  Any other chosen way brings us to a relapse waiting to happen.  Humility in seeking God’s will for our lives, together with turning from our own wicked ways, establishes the foundation for living life and living it abundantly.

Jesus promised: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. (John 16:13, 8 NIV)

©2015 Partners in Hope