Recovery – Return to a normal state of mind, health, and strength
The Road to Recovery is a road of redemption where those who know Christ can come and experience forgiveness and mercy. This road is paved with the blood of Jesus and made possible by the grace and mercy of God. Recovery is needed by those who have been living in Squander far too long and want to make a radical change in their attitude and life purpose. Recovery is a wonderful thing, yet also sometimes painful when sacrifices have to be made. Here are some helps for those desiring a new start with the Lord. These are things that will help lead you back to recovery, and this road is full of helpful tips to get back on track spiritually. Some of these tips will be radical for a traditional person’s thinking and must be looked at through eyes of discernment for those who are wanting to break free from a life of apathy and squander. I pray that God will lead you individually as you approach this life of recovery. I also pray for you as begin walking on this road, knowing that the rest will fall into place.
The first thing that must happen is repentance. We must have a total turn-around in our way of thinking and living. Repentance is something that is difficult at the time, especially if we have lived a long time without it. There is a town in a remote portion of Canada, called Wabush. It was completely isolated for some time. Recently, a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only one way he or she could leave–by turning around. Like Wabush, there is only one road to Christ and that way is through faith. Over the years a person’s faith can become weak and almost nonexistent. We begin to believe more in ourselves than in God and thus that weakened faith weakens our perspective about living life. The Normal becomes abnormal to us as our faith weakens and the purpose for living puts “living for Christ” on the back shelf. When that happens satan gives us a plethora of reasons we shouldn’t change and before long we become more his than God’s. It’s what the Bible calls “living for the world.” That life is no longer strong for Christ and the same road that was cut by the influences of the world is the same road that leads us out of it “when we turn around.” That turn-around is what we call repentance and that repentance has benefits that really complete us as believers. First of all, repentance immediately gets us back into a right relationship with the Lord. We quit avoiding coming to Him with our sins and shortcomings, and we begin to admit we can’t live life without Him. That’s sparks a new way of thinking that is filled with a commitment to serve Him with a new fervency, look at the world around us with new eyes, and communicate with Him in a new and open way. As you turn your life vehicle around and head the right direction, you will also pick up speed and the trip is much shorter going the right way, and a life of freedom is immediately felt and offered by God. You begin to feel a freshness in your commitment and your faith is affirmed and lasting. 1 Peter 1:23 says, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God.” The Bible will begin to be very real to you again and you will begin to see things more like God as you once again love reading His Word. Which means, your spiritual health will be much better and your priorities will once again be birthed from your relationship with God. This love of God will be lasting and His Word will lead you into an even deeper relationship than before. Look what Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Road to Recovery will be a narrow road and when it goes through the tunnel of God’s Word will become very wide and full of possibilities and hope. One thing builds on another until we are complete and “normal” again spiritually.
The last thing that will take place is we will realize what it means to be “sent.” To be sent means to know where you are going and why you are going there. Jesus sent the disciples out and gave them instructions and destination points and He does the very same thing with us. He will send you to your home ready to lead out, to your work ready to win others, to your church ready for revival and service, and to your world ready to do whatever it takes to serve Him. We like to use the word GO when we talk about the sent. We are to GO, and GO for God. Now keep in mind, you don’t have to go to church to GO! In fact, your church attendance will be different after you start going when you aren’t in church. This is where we have the church thing messed up when we start saying that the church is the sending station. I believe Jesus is the sending station and some will do it through the church and some will do it “as the church.” Whichever works best for God’s Will in your life is the one that you should choose. A church can hold you back by never using you, but God will never hold you back individually. Does that make sense? I hope so!! The sent in Jesus’ day went to houses and synagogues, but one thing was for sure…they went somewhere. And we should to!!!
Recovery is a great thing and The Road to Recovery is much better than The Road to Squander. Once we realize that recovery is possible it seems to cause us to want to move to that new town. The “want to” in that sentence is because that is where God is and that is where we should be. In Romans 11 Paul is writing about the Jews and their lack of receiving the Messiah. In writing he affirms that they too have the opportunity to receive Jesus, but they must have a change of heart and a change of mind. He says they are self interested and thick skinned toward God. In verse 12 he says, “Now if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God’s kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back!! What a homecoming!” The church has seen many people just quit because there doesn’t seem to be much life in it. Many people have drifted away from the local church and have quit attending at all. What if in this recovery process, the church would revive, how much more would it draw those people who are seeking to get right. Oh, what a homecoming. Now’s that a recovery I would like to be a part of and that is the reason for this blog. Just thought you might want to know that. Get on the right road and see what God will do when that road leads to Him.
The Pilgrimage continues….
David Warren