For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God. Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death. (Psalm 86:10-13 NLT)
One of the strongest characteristics of life in addiction is the mindset that we know what we need. We know what's wrong. We know what everyone else has done wrong that has resulted in our troubles. We are quick to judge and strong to criticize everyone and everything except ourselves. We have things we'd love to teach them if only they would be willing to learn!! Some of us even threatened violence as a way to, "teach them a thing or two."
Life with God in recovery means that we take a new approach. We recognize that the person needing to be taught a thing or two is ourselves. We need God to show us what a good way of life looks like, because our way of going about things was taking us to the “depths of death.” We need God’s strength to walk in new ways. We even need God to give us the desire for such a life.
Everything we need to know doesn't come in a pretty package the day we enter recovery. It's in the ups and downs of day to day life that we come to know ourselves. Sponsors, counsellors, and trusted friends help us recognize our character defects. God's word gives us clear guidance in life principles that we can use to see how our way of doing things lines up. None of this has power, however, unless we have a teachable spirit and put these new ways into practice with a humble heart.
Along with the writer of this Psalm, let’s pray today and every day, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.”
©2016 Partners in Hope
More information on this and other related topics @ www.partnersinhope.ca/resources
Audio for Sunday Psalm Teach Me Your Ways
Recent Meditations
Giving Hope
Partners in Hope is supported wholly by our friends and community. We are thankful to everyone who partners with us to help bring hope to the discouraged, hurting, and hopeless.