Healing

Sticks and Stones

Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.

Really? I think that innocent childhood adage should be revised. Sticks and stones can break my bones but words … can break my heart. Broken bones will mend, but surgery can’t heal a broken heart.

This week I’ve been thinking about criticism. I’ve discussed Criticism vs Feedback and Keys to Responding To Criticism. One additional thought seems crucial to the basic premise of SetFreeToday.

You might guess that an event in my own life has prompted this analysis, and you’d be correct. I’ve been watching someone close to me in a wrestling match with criticism disguised as feedback.

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I ASKED God and He SAID

I asked God to take away my addictions and behaviors.­
God said, No.­
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.­

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.­
God said, No.­
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary­

I asked God to grant me patience.­
God said, No.­
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn’t granted, it is learned.­

I asked God to give me happiness.­
God said, No.­
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.­

I asked God to spare me pain.­
God said, No.­
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.­

I asked God to make my spirit grow.­
God said, No.­
You must grow on your own! ,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.­

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.­

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Utter Confusion

Utter confusion, misery and pain,
Humiliation, remorseful, ashamed.
Dreading to face the light of each day,
Not wanting to hear what people would say.

Like, “Where is your power? Where is your pride?”
They don’t understand that deep down inside
I wish I knew the answers to give,
Or how to find the courage to live.

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Step 7 and Humility

Step 7: Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

Jesus said:
Matthew 18:3-4 KJV
“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Without true, honest, heartfelt humility we can not recover; We can not enter the kingdom of heaven.

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What’s Love Got to Do With It?

What does love have to do with recovery? EVERYTHING! Easily a book could be written on this subject but I only have a few lines, so here goes.

Lack of self-love results in a tremendous amount of inner pain. Low self-esteem often leads people to look to sources outside of themselves for the love that they do not feel for themselves. This can result in “looking for love in all the wrong places” like same sex relationships, drugs, abusive relationships, codependent relationships, eating too much, alcohol, improper sexual relationships, etc. Or one might try medicating the pain with drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, etc.

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Footprints


    One night a man had a dream, and in his dream he reviewed the footsteps he had taken in his life. He looked and noticed that all over the mountains and difficult places that he had traveled, there was one set of footprints… but over the plains and down the hills, there were two sets of footprints, as if someone had walked by his side.

    He turned to Christ and said, “There is something I don’t understand. Why is it that down the hills and over the smooth and easy places you have walked by my side; but, here over the tough and difficult places, I have walked alone; for I see in those areas there is just one set of footprints.”

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Disorderly Sleep

Sleep had been elusive, the reasons obvious. How can one sleep with the desire for the drug at hand? And being equipped with sufficient negative motivation, you’ll find it difficult to get any rest at all.

In full-blown addiction, you’ll not be plagued by guilt or loneliness or humiliation, nor will you be depressed with the indignity of prison or jail. You will be consumed with dope trekking and questions like…“Who’s got it?”, “Where can I get it?”, “How good is it?”, “How much is it?” and “How can I raise the money for it?”

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Prayer and Recovery

Intercession might be defined as love on its knees in prayer for others. It is pleading to Father God on behalf of the needs of someone else. Another way of looking at intercession is that you are standing in the gap for someone else. That is, you are identifying with the sins of those you are in prayer for, asking God’s forgiveness and mercy on their behalf.

Intercession can be one of the most exciting, creative and rewarding experiences in your Christian life. In your prayer closet, you can pray
around the world. Although intercessors are not often publicly rewarded or recognized for their service, they are a vital part of any growing church or ministry. Their faithful dedication to intercession creates a foundation that allows the Lord to work in mighty ways.

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