God created us to live forever, to be secure in His love, to live with curiosity and wonder, and to interact with other people and creation in ways that bless and bring joy to them.
It sounds like God had a wonderful plan but for many of us it feels like it just didn't work out. We're not sure why, but at some point in our lives we felt life wasn't really working for us and we moved towards a lifestyle of addiction. Prior to coming into recovery we recognized that our life was unmanageable and we admitted that we needed a power greater than ourselves to restore us to a life that was worth living. As Christians we hear Jesus say that he is the way, the truth and the life. How do we make sense of this? How does this help us maintain sobriety?
In order to answer these questions, it's important that we understand who we are. We are more than skin and bones. We are even more than thoughts and feelings. We are spiritual beings who have a soul and we live in a body. (See diagram) The interaction between these parts that make up our being has everything to do with living well and finding freedom from addictive and destructive lifestyles.
Jesus said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (John 8:32, Romans 12:2 NLT)
We speak often about our core issues. We know change must start on the inside and work its way out. As God brings new life to our spirit, things begin to change in our thinking and feeling. Only then are we able to choose new ways of behaving that will bless others and give us deep satisfaction.
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