Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 NKJV)
We often feel awkward about bringing our recurring sins before God. We may be embarrassed by the number of times we have had to deal with the same issues - those things that we don't want to do, yet we keep doing over and over again. What is going on? Why can't we beat these things that cause us problems? What will it take for us to find solid ground on which to build a firm and lasting recovery?
The slogan - “If nothing changes, nothing changes” - is so true. Each time we find ourselves coming back from the “same old failure” we need to reassess what changes we have made and what we are holding back. We can use this opportunity to let God take us deeper into our buried pain and allow His forgiveness and healing to change our hearts. We need to ask ourselves what is the resentment, the hatred, the fear, the pain, or the shame that we are seeking to cover with our addictive behaviour. God offers us comfort for our grief and healing for our hurts but freedom requires honesty in what we are willing to reveal and deal with. The truth will set us free. The question remains, are we willing to reveal the truth – the whole truth -- about ourselves and our default reactions to situations which cause us to stumble?
The slogan - “If nothing changes, nothing changes” - is so true. Each time we find ourselves coming back from the “same old failure” we need to reassess what changes we have made and what we are holding back. We can use this opportunity to let God take us deeper into our buried pain and allow His forgiveness and healing to change our hearts. We need to ask ourselves what is the resentment, the hatred, the fear, the pain, or the shame that we are seeking to cover with our addictive behaviour. God offers us comfort for our grief and healing for our hurts but freedom requires honesty in what we are willing to reveal and deal with. The truth will set us free. The question remains, are we willing to reveal the truth – the whole truth -- about ourselves and our default reactions to situations which cause us to stumble?
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. (James 4:7-10 NLT)
Prayer: Dear God, Help us to not just talk about what’s happened in our lives but to truly turn away from our destructive behavior and turn to you so you can lift us up into healing and honour. AMEN
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