I often share stories about The Salvation Army’s work with recovering alcoholics and drug addicts with readers. That’s because my husband works in Addiction Services, and most Thursday nights I go along to support him at the Recovery Church he leads at The Salvation Army in Newtown. To be honest, this is often the highpoint of my week. It’s such an open, honest and affirming space. Real people doing life together, with very little pretence.
I recently heard the most amazing prescription for a successful life at the graduation of an Addiction Services client. This was someone who had really worked hard to pick up the great tools available to people through our treatment programme, and who had clearly also benefited from walking through the journey of recovery with other people who understood what he was going through.
He told the group, which included members of his family, I know that for me to get well, I have to open up myself—to be vulnerable and not hide away and be ashamed of myself.
There’s solid wisdom in that, isn’t there? Many of us are probably tempted to the easy path of avoidance or denial to keep pain, angst or even just hard work at bay. But the way to get well and grow in life is to become vulnerable—to admit our failures and fears, and to ask for help. Of course, that sounds far easier than it is. But when we keep that goal of wellbeing in mind, surely it is worth some discomfort to reach that goal?
So, that was this man’s advice about how to get well in life, but he continued with some practical advice about how to move on: Set your goals, put good things inside yourselves and leave bad things outside. Actually, the really good thing that this man had allowed inside, was the presence and power of God.
Handing over control of our lives to the care of God is always a good call—as Step 3 of the 12 Steps of AA declares. No matter what you’re going through this week, trust God to care for you.
Christina Tyson
Editor
John 14:27 Contemporary English Version
‘I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.’
Hoani 14:27
‘He rangimarie taku e waiho nei ki a koutou, tenei taku rangimarie te hoatu nei e ahau ki a koutou: e kore e rite ki ta te ao hoatu taku hoatu ki a koutou. Kei pouri o koutou ngakau, kei mataku.’