"24hr WALK"

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

She stopped in the office yesterday. I was closed but she needed a minute.

Neat girl. Funny. Bright.

Well liked. Doing “ok”.

Had a bit of a “setback”. Was trying to figure it out. Really trying to avoid another one.

She told me she was “back in a fellowship”. For you non-recovery folks it means she is back to attending meetings. She has a sponsor who is a great gal too.

But it is what she said about her “return to recovery” that intrigued me. She said the toughest thing she experienced recently had nothing to do with her homeless condition (which is what I thought we were going to talk about) but rather was “going up for that 24 hour token” a few days ago.

Again, for those who aren’t in recovery, that may not mean anything. Yet for someone who has spent some “time” recovering, having to make that walk to the front to grab another 24 hour token can be pretty tough. You are admitting that you “fell down”, made a mistake, or got it wrong. Going back for the “24” is a humbling experience.

But I encouraged rather than condemn her. I gave her a “thumbs up” rather than thumb my nose at her failure.

Why?

Because I was proud of her for humbling herself, for not allowing her pride or fear stand in the way of her future possibilities. And while she was feeling a little “humiliated”, I reminded her that GOD honors the humble; that He even lifts them up.

1 Peter 5:6

If you will humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, in his good time he will lift you up.

GOD certainly was doing that in her case. She had already learned more about herself and her recovery since that“24 hr walk” than she had in the months previous. She was already gaining a greater awareness of what recovery could be and was discovering that there was more to it than just“being clean” or maintaining sobriety. She was learning that she could be FREE!

The more she was humbling herself allowing GOD and the program to expose those things that needed fixing, the more GOD was delivering on His promises to those who choose to “step down.”

James 4:6

But he gives us more and more strength to stand against all such evil longings. As the Scripture says, God gives strength to the humble but sets himself against the proud and haughty.

While none of us like those moments in our lives when we are humbled or worse yet, humiliated, they often serve to reset us or better yet grow us; to get us back on track.

James 4:10

...Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

I believe GOD is endeared to the humble spirit. He loves it when we are quick to acknowledge our failings and weaknesses and He is quick to flood us over with what we need most in those moments...grace!

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

So I am thankful for my new friend and her recent 24 hour challenge. She reminded me of an important truth!

Matthew 5:3

“Humble men (and women) are very fortunate!” he told them, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.”

Perhaps she did you as well.

Have a blessed day…

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney