A friend of mine, for whom I am an accountability partner, reported that, despite some temptations, he had done well. My reply was as follows:
“Well done! Thanks for the update!
I have heard it said, as you have also no doubt, that ‘God had one Son without sin, but no sons without temptation.’ It is good to always remember that Someone (who is also the Sonone/won) is with us at all times.”
I love playing with words, as you can tell from the above.
But this business of not being alone is not play. Aloneness (or rather, loneliness) is no laughing matter. Most of us feel lonely at times—even when we’re surrounded by people.
Addicts in particular tend to feel alone. We frequently struggle with both self-hatred and loneliness. To be imprisoned in solitary confinement with someone you hate is double punishment.
When an addict attends his/her first meeting, he/she frequently hears the words “You are not alone.” Addicts hear the stories of others, and realize that perhaps, just maybe, they are not the only ones who struggle. They are not, as “terminally unique” as they had thought. And of course in the expression “terminally unique,” the emphasis is on “terminally”—as in terminally sick.
For those of us who are Christians, it is more than knowing that there are other people who share our struggles. Christians believe that, in Jesus Christ, God took on a human identity, and experienced temptation and struggle just as we do.
Christians also believe that this same Jesus was raised from the dead, has ascended to Heaven, and has sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ personal re-presentative. That is to say, the Holy Spirit is Jesus’ presence within and among those of us who are believers.
Now, I must confess that most of the time I don’t feel real holy-spirit-y, or Jesus-y. Most of the time, I feel entirely too me-ish. However, I refuse to dumb down my beliefs to match what I feel like.
I believe that, even when my wife is out shopping (as she is right now), I am still not alone. I believe that Someone is with me at all times—Someone who has been tempted, who has struggled, and who always stands ready to help.
Jesus said, just before his ascension to Heaven, “I am with you, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Either Jesus was telling me the truth, or my feelings are. I think I’ll go with Jesus on this one!
My wife went out to run some errands yesterday. One errand was to return some clothes that did not quite work for her. She called me a couple of hours after she had left, and sounded rather frustrated and apologetic. I don’t remember the exact conversation, but it went something like this. “I haven’t gotten anything done,” she said. “I’ve just wasted time trying on a bunch of clothes. Do you want me just to come home and fix dinner?” She knows that I like to eat dinner early, whereas she doesn’t really care what time she eats.
Now, you must realize that my wife is not a compulsive shopper. Quite the contrary! She buys what she needs if it’s on sale or on the clearance rack, and then makes it last a long, long time.
So, it wasn’t really being a stellar husband for me to be a little nice. “Just go ahead and do your other errands, and we’ll eat whenever you get home.” Even though, given my wife’s nature and style, it wasn’t a big thing for me to be a little kind, it was a big thing for me to do. Hey! Lighten up on me! I’m a beginner at being thoughtful!
So, this morning, I read the following words from Melody Beattie’s book The Language of Letting Go:
“Wednesday, May 8
Giving Ourselves What We Deserve
‘I worked at a good job, making a decent salary. I had been recovering for
years. Each morning, I got into my car and I thanked God for the car. The
heater didn’t work. And the chance of the car not starting was almost as great
as the chance that it would. I just kept suffering through and thanking God.
One day, it occurred to me that there was absolutely no good reason I couldn’t
buy myself a new car – that moment – if I wanted one. I had been gratitudeing
myself into unnecessary deprivation and martyrdom. I bought the new car – that
day.
—Anonymous’ ”
It is good to be grateful for what we have. However, there are times when we deprive ourselves when there is no good reason. This is especially true of us addicts. We know that we don’t dare go for immediate gratification. We know that gratitude for what we have—and even what we don’t have—is extremely important.
However, as addicts, we also tend to turn every good thing into an addiction. Some of us get addicted to deprivation. Perhaps there should be a twelve-step group called “D.A.” This would stand for “Deprivation Anonymous.”
The Apostle Paul has a wonderful little instruction for Timothy, and indeed for all of us. He says,
“17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19, English Standard Version)
Yes, we are to trust God. Yes, we are to be generous with others. But did you catch a couple of words at the end of verse 16? Let me highlight them for you. “. . . God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” Not abuse, not hoard, but enjoy!
I hope that you enjoy your day!
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