AA teaches people that when they feel angry, afraid, or upset, they need to do something about it, and oftentimes it involves running to a sponsor or sitting in a meeting and complaining about the upsetting setbacks which seem to be other people's fault.
Give me a break!
So much of this emotional bondage stems from the lie that other people have such consummate control over how we feel, when in fact much of our frustration stems from our empty self-effort and our wrong beliefs, coupled with a false identity, such as "I am an alcoholic."
No wonder alcoholics are often labeled childish and irresponsible. The very program which is supposed to help people actually hinders them and induces them to regress into emotional dependence all over again.
No one had ever told me that my soul prospers because of the Gospel, the truth that in Christ all my sins are forgiven, and that I need no add one thing in order to finish eh word which Jesus completed at Calvary.
Of course, sitting in AA meetings week after week, or in Celebrate Recovery meetings at length, causes us to frustrate God's grace, because we are convinced that the work is not done, that we have to maintain our standing before God through our efforts.
There is no such program taught in the Bible, but the truth of the Gospel (Galatians 2: 14) and the promise of Christ in our lives:
"9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." (Romans 5: 9-10)
We do not need more help, or comfort measures from other people to get through or emotional upsets. It's the truth which sets us free, and as we grow in grace, understanding how much God has forgiven us, the love which He has shown us through the death and resurrection of His Son, we find a growing peace and greater power to face the world.
I never realized the simple yet essential importance of grace, that all my sins have been paid for. The strange resentments which would overtake me, the fears and guilty recriminations which washed over me from time to time, all of this was part and parcel of a lack of understanding, that there is no going back to fix or complete a work which Jesus did perfectly (John 19: 30)
All this time, I was plagued with this sentiment of "What are you going to do about?"
For a time, I realized that there was nothing that I was going to do, but even then, we have to rest in a full and final response, one which beats down any opposition, or any lingering since of frustration and shame:
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10: 4-6)
This temptation has become easier to resist, as I simply rest in the truth that Jesus did it all, and that no thought, no sentiment of resentment of upset may stand in the place of all that Christ Jesus has done for all of us at the Christ.
We do not need to seek help from other people, because there is nothing that anyone can or must or needs to do beyond all that Jesus has done for us at the Cross.
This blessing of righteousness is a gift which we receive, and keep receiving (Romans 5: 17), and we are established (Isaiah 54: 14) in this gift because of the Spirit of God who convicts us of this righteousness (John 16: 8-11)
No, beloved, stop running to other people for assisting or comfort. See more of Jesus, understand all that He is and has for you, but most important walk in the truth of the Gospel, that you are justified from all sins (Acts 13: 38-39)
No comments:
Post a Comment