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\n\u201c The cure for our problems comes in strange forms; <\/strong><\/p>\n
it comes through admitting weakness and through a humble heart.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n
John Baker<\/strong><\/p>\n
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Why was this so hard for me to do? I wanted to be \u201cnormal\u201d so badly; and be a functioning member of society. I had already lost so much. It was pretty clear to everyone around me that I was powerless over my drug addiction. Every day I said to myself \u201c today I flush the bottle\u00a0” I can control this. I will just cut back, taper off, I don\u2019t have to quit all together. Do I ? Sure I\u2019ve lost every friend I had and my husband has to pick up the pieces of this mess, but I can control this.<\/p>\n
What a lie straight from the father of lies. If I could\u2019ve controlled it and quit on my own I would have. The first step to freedom is simply admitting we are powerless over EVERYTHING \u2026\u2026I can\u2019t, He can, I think I\u2019ll let Him<\/strong><\/em>. I heard this early in my sobriety. How can something so simple be so hard? It doesn\u2019t have to be if we hand over the power to the One Who created us. That\u2019s really how He made us\u2026to need Him<\/strong><\/em>. To let Him write out our story. To let Him run the show. We cannot control anything, truthfully. Only ourselves and I\u2019ve proven that even that\u2019s hard to do.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m taken back to a song that we sang in my childhood \u201cthey are weak but He is strong\u201d, anyone remember? The Bible says over and over that in our weakness He is strongest. We must admit our weakness and rely only on His strength. How do we do this?<\/p>\n
Get rid of the pride that has kept us where we are for so long. The pride that kept us from getting the help we need. Pride keeps us in our struggles and makes us completely unteachable, unchangeable, a mess. It must go for God cannot exist in a heart full of pride. So here\u2019s where God\u2019s grace comes in and begins the healing process. We ask Him to get rid of the ugly and fill us with the beautiful… Him<\/strong><\/em>. He gives us the ability to be teachable and to daily die to self and let Him have complete control. We cannot go back and change anything. As haunting as those memories can be, we have to consciously take each one and give it to God and let Him continue the work that He started in us a long while ago.<\/p>\n
Psalm 18:18-19<\/strong> says, \u201c they attacked me at a moment of weakness , at a moment when I was weakest, but The Lord upheld me, He lead me to a place of safety, He rescued me because He delights in me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Oh how He delights in YOU. Oh how He loves YOU. If you\u2019re struggling today with a hurt, habit, or hang up, and your life is completely unmanageable, go to the One Who longs to manage it for you<\/strong><\/em>. Name your hurt or habit and surrender it today. He wants to give you an abundant life. A joyful life and He\u2019s ready for you to come back.<\/p>\n
*****<\/p>\n
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Let’s Pray:<\/strong><\/p>\n
Dear Heavenly Father, We come to You today praising You for Your grace that has set us free. That when we are weak, You step in and give us Your strength. We ask You today for the courage to admit our lack of control and the willingness to hand it over to you. We are so tired of trying to go this alone. And for the ones still struggling, Lord, I pray that You wrap Your arms around them, keep them safe until they are ready to say \u201cI can\u2019t, You can, and I\u2019m ready to let You. \u00a0In Jesus precious name we pray, \u00a0AMEN<\/p>\n
Assignment: <\/strong><\/p>\n
What do you need to let go of today, to lose control of? write it down and literally place it in God’s hands. Share with the group if you wish? We are all on this road together!<\/p>\n
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