While watching the evening news, we often hear about a disaster caused by someone driving while drunk or high on drugs, or learn of the next grim statistic of the opioid crisis around the world. For many of us alive and breathing and sober the following slogan is meaningful, "There but for the grace of God go I." At meeting after meeting, we hear these words read from "How It Works": Remember that we deal with alcohol - cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power - that One is God. May you find Him now!" Yes, there are things we can and should do to maintain sobriety like rigorous honesty and working the steps. But these alone, aren't enough. We need the help of God that comes in the form of His amazing grace.
By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. (1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV)
Grace is something freely given. We can't earn it and don't deserve it. Many of us are alive simply by the grace of God. Some of us are finally walking in the light after being lifted out of the misery of delusions and despair caused by poor choices and painful traumas. Living in freedom comes directly from the grace of God.
Prayer: God of love and grace, thank you for caring for me when my life was a wreck. I know I need Your wisdom each day to make the choices that take me forward in recovery. Help me to make "grace exchanges" where appropriate, so that my brokenness and sin go, and Your grace fills me up. I want to effectively live the life You created for me. Amen
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