My .02 cents on Recovery

Recovery for me has not been found in a meeting, but in the grace of God. I have attended years of meetings and heard all sorts of opinions, yet when it comes down to the hard questions it is God who has answered, not man. "With men it is impossible; with God all things are possible."

Many men had answers for my questions, and they all sounded quite plausible, but they had no eternal truth to offer - and more often than not, left me when the going got hard. Men like to be heard and respected, they bathe in the glory other men offer, but how real is it? Tell a lie loud enough and long enough and it becomes truth? I think not. And that's what a lot of people have in recovery - a lie.

I don't want to trash the program, or take away from what it has given many people - a life better than the one they were living, but what about salvation? The first members of AA were touched by God and their eyes changed. You can read about it for yourself in the AA text. Since then the program has become watered down and the focus is no longer on God - it has shifted to the program itself becoming God.

Recovery is not an easy process and it involves things that men don't understand - that is why I rely upon God.

Brother James said:

On my best day I can't be good enough. It's simply not in me. That's why I need a Savior. Unfortunately, every thing men put their hands to they tend to corrupt. That can be especially true when it comes to church, religion, and "recovery". Men will always fail us.

For me personally, I had to come to a place where I had no other place to turn but to God. Some people had told me I could have a "god of my own understanding." I thought that meant I could make up my own god to suit me. I borrowed from the Hindus and the Budhists. I sprinkled a little of Jesus in, as well as some native American spirituality. What I came up with failed me utterly. The God of my understanding all along was Jesus Christ, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. That was instilled in me through the faith of first my great-grandmother, then my grandmother, and then my mother. But I ran very hard from Him, all the time telling myself the lie that I was seeking "truth". Really, I was running from God. Thankfully, He reached down and revealed Himself to me at a time and in a place where I was in the greatest need for Him. I don't know how he does it for other people, but that is what He did for me. I do beleive He is the source of faith and beleiving to those who are really seeking Him, but sometimes it is a painful process.

I still cannot be good enough. Some times, the only prayer I can muster is "Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner", but He hears me. The Lord is gracious, merciful, and compassionate to a humble heart that pleads for mercy. When I'm beaten down the worst is when my pride leaves me and I can be humble. So I thank God for every one of those moments, even though being beaten down isn't any fun. But I do that to myself with pride.

There is a difference between "recovery" and "deliverance". Recovery is what a person seeks until God leads them to a place of deliverance from bondage. Only Jesus Christ can break the chains of bondage and truly make anyone free.

This is just one person's testimony. It might or might not be helpful. But seek Him, and not men or the teachings of men. The Bible is where He has put His truths...

Click to expand...

The reason AA came about was because of a group of Christian traveling evangelists known as "The Oxford Group". These guys would go out in groups of two and share the gospel. A half a dozen would go to Africa and in six or eight weeks they would have a tent revival with over thirty thousand people giving their lives to Christ.

When people are able to make that kind of an impact on people, what usually happens is people start to take notice and find fault with them This is what happened with the Oxford Group. AA took these same principles which were originally dealing with sin, and distilled it down to deal with alcohol. The problem was that the Oxford Group came under scrutiny as people began to see them as a cult. The founders of AA didn't want bad publicity so they did some damage control by distancing themselves from this group. They also watered down the message and distanced themselves from their Christian roots. So, contrary to popular opinion; AA's "god of your own understanding' didn't come about as a means to be all inclusive(although this did seem to be a secondary effect), but to distance themselves from bad publicity.

AA keeps a lot of drunks off the road. God bless AA for that. The 12 steps are right out of the bible so no Christian should have a problem with any of them.

Our primary addiction is to our own way of thinking

Brother James said:

On my best day I can't be good enough. It's simply not in me. That's why I need a Savior. Unfortunately, every thing men put their hands to they tend to corrupt. That can be especially true when it comes to church, religion, and "recovery". Men will always fail us.

For me personally, I had to come to a place where I had no other place to turn but to God. Some people had told me I could have a "god of my own understanding." I thought that meant I could make up my own god to suit me. I borrowed from the Hindus and the Budhists. I sprinkled a little of Jesus in, as well as some native American spirituality. What I came up with failed me utterly. The God of my understanding all along was Jesus Christ, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. That was instilled in me through the faith of first my great-grandmother, then my grandmother, and then my mother. But I ran very hard from Him, all the time telling myself the lie that I was seeking "truth". Really, I was running from God. Thankfully, He reached down and revealed Himself to me at a time and in a place where I was in the greatest need for Him. I don't know how he does it for other people, but that is what He did for me. I do beleive He is the source of faith and beleiving to those who are really seeking Him, but sometimes it is a painful process.

I still cannot be good enough. Some times, the only prayer I can muster is "Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner", but He hears me. The Lord is gracious, merciful, and compassionate to a humble heart that pleads for mercy. When I'm beaten down the worst is when my pride leaves me and I can be humble. So I thank God for every one of those moments, even though being beaten down isn't any fun. But I do that to myself with pride.

There is a difference between "recovery" and "deliverance". Recovery is what a person seeks until God leads them to a place of deliverance from bondage. Only Jesus Christ can break the chains of bondage and truly make anyone free.

This is just one person's testimony. It might or might not be helpful. But seek Him, and not men or the teachings of men. The Bible is where He has put His truths...

Click to expand...

well BJ, its a thank the Lord He puts us in situations and circumstances beyond our control that we turn to Him. it happens all the time, even in the children of Israel and, children's children of Israel's history with Him. so its apart of the relationship. join the club so to speak.

anyway, I like your statement "god of my own understanding." if anyone has spent any time on sites like this one or philosophy sites you find people that carry idols in there hearts of which you've coined for my purposes a god of their own understanding. been dealing with that very same opposition to the Truth of God. everyone like to think God should be according to their own judgement of what a good God ought to be.

you might consider that you now, via the prayer of your grand parents (same here on that) you have come in to the Almighty God's understanding of who He is.

Just keep in mind , that your making your place for the future by what you do here on the earth... And remember the future is for ever and you want the
best you can make for your self !

If you change and let the past go, and think on this and how forgiving that GOD is ! It should be easy.........!

Brother James said:

On my best day I can't be good enough. It's simply not in me. That's why I need a Savior. Unfortunately, every thing men put their hands to they tend to corrupt. That can be especially true when it comes to church, religion, and "recovery". Men will always fail us.

For me personally, I had to come to a place where I had no other place to turn but to God. Some people had told me I could have a "god of my own understanding." I thought that meant I could make up my own god to suit me. I borrowed from the Hindus and the Budhists. I sprinkled a little of Jesus in, as well as some native American spirituality. What I came up with failed me utterly. The God of my understanding all along was Jesus Christ, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. That was instilled in me through the faith of first my great-grandmother, then my grandmother, and then my mother. But I ran very hard from Him, all the time telling myself the lie that I was seeking "truth". Really, I was running from God. Thankfully, He reached down and revealed Himself to me at a time and in a place where I was in the greatest need for Him. I don't know how he does it for other people, but that is what He did for me. I do beleive He is the source of faith and beleiving to those who are really seeking Him, but sometimes it is a painful process.

I still cannot be good enough. Some times, the only prayer I can muster is "Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner", but He hears me. The Lord is gracious, merciful, and compassionate to a humble heart that pleads for mercy. When I'm beaten down the worst is when my pride leaves me and I can be humble. So I thank God for every one of those moments, even though being beaten down isn't any fun. But I do that to myself with pride.

There is a difference between "recovery" and "deliverance". Recovery is what a person seeks until God leads them to a place of deliverance from bondage. Only Jesus Christ can break the chains of bondage and truly make anyone free.

This is just one person's testimony. It might or might not be helpful. But seek Him, and not men or the teachings of men. The Bible is where He has put His truths...

Click to expand...

Risen Angel said:

Recovery for me has not been found in a meeting, but in the grace of God. I have attended years of meetings and heard all sorts of opinions, yet when it comes down to the hard questions it is God who has answered, not man. "With men it is impossible; with God all things are possible."

Many men had answers for my questions, and they all sounded quite plausible, but they had no eternal truth to offer - and more often than not, left me when the going got hard. Men like to be heard and respected, they bathe in the glory other men offer, but how real is it? Tell a lie loud enough and long enough and it becomes truth? I think not. And that's what a lot of people have in recovery - a lie.

I don't want to trash the program, or take away from what it has given many people - a life better than the one they were living, but what about salvation? The first members of AA were touched by God and their eyes changed. You can read about it for yourself in the AA text. Since then the program has become watered down and the focus is no longer on God - it has shifted to the program itself becoming God.

Recovery is not an easy process and it involves things that men don't understand - that is why I rely upon God.

Click to expand...

Brother James said:

On my best day I can't be good enough. It's simply not in me. That's why I need a Savior. Unfortunately, every thing men put their hands to they tend to corrupt. That can be especially true when it comes to church, religion, and "recovery". Men will always fail us.

For me personally, I had to come to a place where I had no other place to turn but to God. Some people had told me I could have a "god of my own understanding." I thought that meant I could make up my own god to suit me. I borrowed from the Hindus and the Budhists. I sprinkled a little of Jesus in, as well as some native American spirituality. What I came up with failed me utterly. The God of my understanding all along was Jesus Christ, God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit. That was instilled in me through the faith of first my great-grandmother, then my grandmother, and then my mother. But I ran very hard from Him, all the time telling myself the lie that I was seeking "truth". Really, I was running from God. Thankfully, He reached down and revealed Himself to me at a time and in a place where I was in the greatest need for Him. I don't know how he does it for other people, but that is what He did for me. I do beleive He is the source of faith and beleiving to those who are really seeking Him, but sometimes it is a painful process.

I still cannot be good enough. Some times, the only prayer I can muster is "Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me a sinner", but He hears me. The Lord is gracious, merciful, and compassionate to a humble heart that pleads for mercy. When I'm beaten down the worst is when my pride leaves me and I can be humble. So I thank God for every one of those moments, even though being beaten down isn't any fun. But I do that to myself with pride.

There is a difference between "recovery" and "deliverance". Recovery is what a person seeks until God leads them to a place of deliverance from bondage. Only Jesus Christ can break the chains of bondage and truly make anyone free.

This is just one person's testimony. It might or might not be helpful. But seek Him, and not men or the teachings of men. The Bible is where He has put His truths...

Click to expand...

Recovery for me has been helpful. Unfortunately it took a long time to realise why the problem existed: I had no problem to solve. My presummed problems were caused by a parent with extreme levels of narcissism who was getting narcissism fixes off of me by making me feel lousy about myself. Now I'm not that person's place for fixes anymore. I went to another support group of the same recovery mode and had a difficult time with God as a Higher power. I ran from the Church because though it was a slew of Conservative Christian assemblies idolatory was a part of Christian life and it was expected I engage in the same idolatorous conduct. But recently and years later I started to realise that I was not running from God, but from engaging again in idoloterous church behavior which made me fear esteemed Christians more then God who could destroy body and soul in Hell. So finally my Higher Power became the God of the Christian Bible. Forget about Church or the like. Stay at home and read the Bible was my way of learning God's will for me. My life was built on a foundation of sand instead of a foundation of rock with Jesus being the Rock. I'm slowly learning but I have learned a lot and am feeling better. My overeating is still there but not as much as before and lose more weight and it will be a bit less enticing with a smaller belly. I've already lost ten inches around the waist and am in a size 42 pants instead of 52 waist size. And I'm still losing. I must remember not to rely on my understanding because like with other members it fails me. Over eating, in my case dealt with the pain of the after effects of being sexually abused as a child and emotionally abused all my life. Forgiving the abusers was a big part of my recovery. Now the issue is bitterness in regards to the emotional abuse which stole so much of my life. And now I'm only a couple of years away from recieving old age pension. Things look bleak. But God can take that bleakness away. I'm just going to have to wait and stay close to Jesus. Just saying this takes a load off my mind.....if only for a few hours. I'm learning about the REAL Jesus now.....not the one taught and expressed by extremist and Fanatical Christians. I just learned last night that Jesus was neither fanatical nor extremist. So I have to be careful with listening too much to fanatical and extremist Christians Because Jesus'Words trump theirs. That is it for me. Thanks for reading.

Oh such good posts here!

I've found in my life that "recovery" helps me to understand what's going, the process, but Faith allows me to leave the flesh to whatever it's doing, and to live in the Spirit.

I can spend my life recovering. Or I can in a moment choose to "live unto God". He is before me, inside me, drawing me, living through me.

And it's always - always - to me, a good reminder that we work here for the treasures and glory there. We have one opportunity. This is it. At least so far as I find in Scripture.

Much love!
Mark