The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth, So Help Me God (4)
Thursday April 28, 2016
When thoughts of relapse enter our thinking, telling ourselves the truth about who we are has a significant impact on how we behave. If we let memories and accusations about the past lie to us about who we are today by God’s grace, then we are vulnerable to relapse. God says we are new people. The old has gone and the new has come. What will we tell ourselves?
Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)
If we see ourselves as having to perform to some perfect standard of the 12-step program or other religious activity in order to maintain our sobriety, then we are living a lie that our success in life and recovery depends on ourselves and our own efforts rather than on God’s gift of grace. This kind of self-reliance is based on a lie and also makes us vulnerable to relapse.
The Bible states, For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. (Galatians 2:19-21 NLT)
We are beloved sons and daughters of God. This is the truth that frees us. We are new creations, forgiven from all past offences that would hinder our new life in Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we receive God’s Holy Spirit and the power to help us deal with temptation and stand firm in the truth of God’s word. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in the midst of trying times. God says He is able to complete in us what He has started and we can trust His word because He is faithful. It pleases God to give us a life that is meaningful, purposeful and joyful. The truth is, each day God will bring out the best in us as we grow and mature and have the attitude of Jesus in all our ways.
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