Imperishable

TRUTH

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

James‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬

REFLECTION

The beginnings of sobriety are hopeful, bitter, joyful, depressing, bright, blinding, dim, meager and all-consuming.

We can become so wrapped up in ourselves that we experience all of our emotions wrapped up in one slender string—vibrating and pulsing with every breath.

We are a bit dramatic.

Not to underplay the severity of our plight. We are in a life-or-death situation. But we also make more of it than we have to at a point.

Aren’t most of our problems of our own making? Can’t we trace our present difficulty back to a hundred dumb choices we made?

It’s not that we ought to exchange our fleeting enthusiasm for depression, but we should begin looking at the face value of our opportunity.

It’s here, in the beginning, where some important groundwork can be laid.

We will begin to focus on something. Maybe several things.

But it’s this focus that can either redirect our wayward life or distract us in our new life.

What am I really focused on?

Sure, saving my own skin is that natural instinct that often at least influences our choice to get clean.

But I’ve got to go deeper than that if I’m going to have the lasting, steadfast, permanent sobriety that I’m after.

That’s a brand of sobriety that I don’t have the power to manufacture or sustain.

But if I humble myself enough to be willing to listen and learn and seek, it’s available.

God, thank you for opportunities I don’t deserve.

SPONSOR

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NEXT

When you’re ready, here are some tools for you:

1. Book List (amazon link)
   Some of my favorite reads related to recovery and/or wrestling with faith.

2. 4th Step Guide (free download)
   A PDF with instructions and worksheets for a thorough 4th step. Straight from the Big Book. Fearlessness not included.

3. 12-Step Christianity (YouTube)
   My thoughts on the parallels between discipleship and sponsorship.

KEEP LEANING FORWARD

Cheers, Eamonn
Contact on LinkedIn, YouTube & Twitter.