Let’s Celebrate!
This month at The Church at Severn Run celebrating recovery! The Love Wins Recovery ministry at Severn Run is a part of the wholistic missions of the Love Wins Movement. Being able to walk with those who are recovering from the struggle of addiction is part of the important work that the Love Wins Recovery ministry seeks to do. This is the work of love and the power of the Gospel to meet the needs of our neighbors who need the Light of the Church the most.
The love of God through the person and work of Jesus does just that: it recovers people to the Father, restores us to His presence, and leads us into newness of life in Christ. The Apostle Paul was radically changed by the Gospel, and he speaks of this resurrection in the life of the Believer. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes:
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here.”
The reality, Brothers and Sisters, is that we are all in different stages of recovery. We all have addictions that we struggle with. Whether it is chemical, emotional, physical, or mental, we all struggle to put away the old habits that turn us toward sin and darkness, and away from the abundance and vitality of a God-centered life. Yet, the hope of the Gospel is the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in all of our lives!
Our addictions and the ramifications of their hold on us were put to death with Christ on the Cross. By His resurrection and life in us now through the power of His Holy Spirit, we have been called to follow and grow in ever increasing surrender to Him, allowing His Lordship over our lives to bleed into every area of life. For as the prophet Isaiah said in one of his many Messianic prophesies, “…by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).
How can we learn to apply these truths to our lives? I have found meditating on the following passage from 1 John to be helpful as I allow God to search my heart and reveal to me the “dead” or “addictive” areas of my life that He is calling me to crucify and walk into the “new.”
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10)
What a powerful reminder! We are not called to be a people of darkness, but of light. We need the power of the Holy Spirit, prayer, and the constant beauty of the truth found in Scripture to reveal to us our sin. Whether you are struggling with an addiction to Amazon purchases or negative thought cycles that lead you to despair, as a disciple of Jesus Christ you have already been given all of the spiritual blessings you need to repent, or turn away. This is a daily walk of renewal, and it is good work albeit challenging.
Here is a visual that I have found useful for myself as a reminder of the experiential power of God in my life in Christ:
- On a piece of paper draw a cross in the center of the page.
- Draw a large circle around the cross. The cross represents what God is calling you to walk away from in your “old/pre-resurrection self.” Write those things down next to the cross in the circle.
- The space outside of the circle represents your “new/post-resurrection self.” In that space, write all of the new ways you are going to pray for the Spirit to help you walk in your new identity in Christ. Write passages of Scripture to remind you about the truth of Christ’s work and His commands, God’s promises, your identity in Christ, etc.
- Revisit and write more when God is revealing to you new areas or perhaps areas you continue to repent and walk away from.
Watch His faithfulness to you as you grow in abiding in Him and you see His power to light up your darkness. We are all in recovery, but we have a great need for our Savior and a great Savior for our needs. Believe BIG in His redemptive work in your life and watch how He restores you in His time for His glorious purposes.
KB