Sunday Psalm Seeing With New Eyes
Sunday June 12, 2016
A remarkable change takes place in our thinking and even our desires when we turn our will and our lives over to God’s care. In the first two steps we admitted we had come to the end of ourselves and came to believe that acceptance of God’s offer of forgiveness and new life through Jesus’ death on the cross would initiate the necessary changes in us. When we made the decision to give our will and our lives over to God, we gave permission to God to make those dramatic changes at the deepest levels of our being.
Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies, for I have done what is just and right. Please guarantee a blessing for me. Don’t let the arrogant oppress me! My eyes strain to see your rescue, to see the truth of your promise fulfilled. I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me your decrees. Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand your laws. Lord, it is time for you to act, for these evil people have violated your instructions. Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold. Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:121-128 NLT)
Soon we begin to notice God’s ways at work within in us as we view our previous ways of behaving. We look back on the chaos and the harsh ways we treated ourselves and others while we were in addiction, and we recognize how evil and destructive it all was. God’s Spirit ignites a dislike in us for hurting and harming others and that adds a whole new dimension to how we behave towards others in the future.
In order to help quit smoking, some people take various medications that make them nauseous if they smoke while they are taking it. One of the best prayers a person in recovery can pray is that God will give them a deep dislike – even hatred – for their drug of choice or destructive behaviour. Nothing lifts an obsession faster than the thought of it making you sick at heart.
Only God can expose the depths of the harm of our addictive ways and then fill us with His peace and unfailing love. Let’s ask Him to do so today.
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