Step 6

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 

It is one thing to ask God, will you and can you help me become a better follower of Christ. I have often asked God, show me the things that I need to be laid aside so that I can continue to go forward with you, in the direction that you want me to go. But, then God shows me what He wants and sometimes I butt heads with God. I dig my feet in and think and even say, God, I’ll give some things up, but I don’t really want to give that up.

In the road of recovery asking God to remove things is usually asking God to help us with our habits or our addictions. We suddenly realize that the choices that we have made are not only affecting us, but they are hurting the ones that we love and care about around us now.

Romans 12, encourages us that we should be dead unto sin. In verse 13, we are encouraged to not just turn away from sin, but that our bodies should be used as instruments of righteousness.

You see with our addictions we use our bodies that is not glorifying to God or ourselves or anyone else. Physically, depending on what our addiction may be, we can damage ourselves severely. Maybe we can lose an unhealthy amount of weight, alcoholics tend to develop liver problems, smokers lungs or heart issues and mentally we can be damaged.

Recovery involves turning away from that lifestyle that we have been become trapped in. I wish that I could say that you could just easily read Romans 12:12-14 and that you’ll never use your body in an ill fashion. For some, the urges or the temptations may never leave you. I have talked to different men and women that have had many years of sobriety and they have said the temptations and thoughts have never left. Let me say that is not to discourage anyone that is reading this and make you think that you will never have any freedom. You will, and you can. Rather, it is a humble reminder that we must always be on guard and never get to a place that we don’t think that we need to do the daily things that have helped us before anymore. In Reformers Unanimous, there is Principle 8 that says, “It is not possible to fight a fleshly temptation with fleshly weapons.” 

How we use our bodies does matter. So, how can we in recovery better use our bodies in a positive way? There are many different things that we can do. Exercise is great, going for walks, reading, journaling is all different things that experts say can help in recovery. I don’t doubt that they are and I have found these things helpful. Biblically, just as it was in Romans 12, we have been set free, we were dead in our sins and addictions, but now we have a new life. Prayer is a great way that we can use our bodies. Taking personal time to talk to God about how can we better our bodies to His glory. Physically getting on your knees and praying is helpful and beneficial. When the temptations come if we stop and take the time to just say, Lord, you know the thoughts and the urges that I am having and I need your help. That doesn’t mean that magically the thought may go away immediately, we have to be willing to put some work in ourselves. When the temptation maybe we finally call that person that always tells you they are free any time of day or night for us. There is nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, I encourage you to do that.

There are so many things that we can watch or listen to that have an influence on us whether we realize it or not. Perhaps maybe changing the music that we listen or the things that we watch on the TV or Internet. Studies have shown that the more you think, see and hear about something the more that you may want to do it. It’s like if you are on a diet and someone tells you well just don’ think about that bowl of ice cream or that pizza. What is the first thing that you think about? Whatever unhealthy food your friend just mentioned to you. So, let us protect our minds and our ears and our eyes to what we will choose to expose ourselves to.

We need a daily renewal of our thoughts every day, every hour maybe. But there is hope. We were dead, but now we have new life. Will you take the new path? Or run back to the one that seems to be a never-ending pitfall of destruction? The choice is in your hands, my friends.