There is an old Biblical story which relates to having trust in God. When the Jewish people left Egypt, "The Exodus", God had prepared a land for them - The Promised Land. The Promised Land was an eleven day journey from Egypt. Moses sent a scout from each of the twelve tribes to explore The Promised Land and report back. They reported that the area was magnificent, a land flowing with milk and honey, but the people there are powerful and the cities well fortified. What's more, "we saw giants seven to nine feet tall". This caused fear in the people. The only scouts willing to face their fear (by trusting in God) were Caleb and Joshua, both willing to enter The Promised Land. The Jewish people decided not to enter. For the next forty years the Jews wandered around in the wilderness until all those who were over twenty at the time had died. Once again, they stood at The Promised Land and only Caleb and Joshua who were over twenty from forty years ago were allowed to enter as they had been willing to face their fears by trusting in God.
We each have our own exodus from our own addiction. We became weary of wandering around the wilderness alone. We were ill. We were finished. We face our fears by trusting in God and we enter The Promised Land - a land of serenity, peace and joy. Are you ready? Have you come to believe that a power greater than yourself could restore you to sanity? Have you come to trust in that power?
This Comment Is From A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
ReplyDeleteArmand, a wonderful topic.
God hasn't ransomed us just to release us back into the prison of "half measures" and lost hope. Although I wanted to do what is right, certain events in the day found me incapable of "generating" the depth of faith required to manifest an absolute trust in Gods guidance and plan. How then can I walk in the power of the Spirit? Mark 9: 14 - 29 holds the answer. Here we find a frantic father, desperately seeking relief for his demonized son. No doubt he sought every local source of human and spiritual ingenuity available to effect a cure, all to no avail. He hears of the miraculous works of Jesus, a furtive hope is kindled, he sets out into the wilderness. But hopes are dashed as Christ's own disciples are impotent against his sons's beastly condition.
Jesus arrives on the scene, questions the father who relates his desperation, then pleads "Have mercy on us and help us if you can." "If I can?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes." The crippling fear that had previously obscured the father's innermost need was in that fraction of a moment surrendered to the Master. He instantly cries out "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!" He asked for a miracle and it was provided... In an instant, lost hope transformed into saving faith while he witnessed the impossible as Jesus cast out the daemon and his son was restored healthy and whole. But the story wasn't over, His disciples asked "Why couldn't we cast out that evil spirit?" Jesus replied, "This kind can only be cast out by prayer and fasting." Yes, some things may require extra effort on our part but all things can be overcome as we willingly and fervently lay them at the feet of the Lord.
A Gratefully Recovering Alcoholic
A gratefully Recovering Alcoholic As you related so well in your comment the surrender that is necessary if one is to recover from alcoholism which is a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body...Thank you...Armand
DeleteThe land of milk and honey exists within me and within each of us. I wandered along for years, unwilling or unable to find the trust needed to find that place of ultimate peace. It took the action of incorporating all Twelve Steps into my life to open the pathway to The Power Within. As a result of that trust, I have garnered the gift of gifts - the ability to love and trust myself though That Power. Certainly, life presents the ongoing challenges of my humanity. But the awareness of where the Solution resides can meet and overcome any challenge. Trust is a matter of knowing without thinking.
ReplyDeleteMichael like when you wrote "trust is a matter of knowing without thinking." Living in the will of God gives one a clarity beyond reasoning, simply the truth...Thank you...Armand
DeleteWe each have a promised land to go to in which we can live out our days, walking hand in hand with God. What we must do is discover and let go of the fears we have in order to arrive there. Our nature has been twisted and whirled in our addictions, creating a perception of ourselves and the world based on earthly lies. What we think of ourselves is far from what God probably thinks of us. We've taken all we've done wrong and put stock in all the perceptions we think others have of us to create a completely skewed image of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteBut in truth, we are simply his beloved children. Yet, we define ourselves in a way that is unaligned with God's loving and purposefully made path for us. The lies we've told ourselves about ourselves are those conjured from the hurt, pain, and voids we've experienced. We've made our tumultuous experiences part of our current make-up. Instead of letting go and trusting that God wants to take care of us we have convinced ourselves there is no great enough a power to do so. We've led ourselves into destruction through our own thinking and behaviors and therefore believe there is no way out of it. There is no way out if we rely on ourselves. The only way to the promised land of love and peace of mind and heart is leaving our sick and lonely thinking behind by giving it to our God through consistent prayer. We will continue to live in the wilderness, empty within, and relying on our no-good self-survival skills until we relinquish them and go to God for his mastery of fulfilling and providing. Once we let go we step into the land built for us. It is only then we can experience God's love through our yearning, once lonely and closed hearts. It is only then we can proceed, with the constant pleading God's will be done, taking refuge in the awaiting, everlasting relationship with God.
Caitlin loved when you wrote "Once we let go we step into the land built for us." Know that we don't posses the needed power to "let go." Wanting to or needing to "let go" will never supply the power. The necessary Power is a gift from God through His loving and fulfilling grace and can only be received through a surrendered life. In the back half of the Eleventh Step it says "praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the Power to carry it out. Trust, Surrender and Pray...Thank you...Armand
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