Half Measures Availed Us Nothing Entirely Ready For Change

 Half measures availed us nothing.  We stood at the turning point.  We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

 Various difficulties may have impacted our lives from the time we were very young children.  In our addiction, these difficulties resulted in our tendency to criticize and blame others as we tried to manipulate them to get what we wanted. We failed to consider anyone else’s needs but our own.  Our default position was lying, cheating, stealing and other expressions of self-interest.  Now we need to ask ourselves, are we willing to challenge all our harmful behaviour? 

To establish new life in sobriety we need to find a completely new lifestyle of integrity, kindness, and respect towards others in all our affairs.  It seems an impossible task, a high standard that we are unable to attain.  On our own it is!  But God is willing to give us the desire and the power to complete the task if we will turn our will and our life over to His care. 

Don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.  For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.  (Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT)

Character defects will slip away one at a time as we consistently surrender ourselves to God.  Each time we notice one of our former defects in operation, we should immediately come to God and ask for His strength and protection as we invite Him to powerfully work in and through us to help us think and behave in new ways. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I need your protection and care in all my affairs and so I abandon myself to You today, all that I am and all that I am not; all that is working well and all that is not; all that I understand and all that is confusing.  I bring everything, including myself, to You and surrender it all.  I am trusting You to make something good out of it all.  Amen

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