Читать книгу Hykie Berg: Ultimate Survivor - Hykie Berg - Страница 8

If you don’t earnestly look for recovery, you won’t find it. You also won’t find true happiness or enduring peace if you don’t do everything in your power to stay clean and at all times devote yourself to God. But the rewards are great: to see someone recover and witness God’s work through the recovery process is immeasurable and priceless.

An addict’s greatest problem is that they want everything immediately and they want it their way.

When you suffer from addictive behaviour, you’re obsessive, compulsive and manipulative. You always want a quick or easy fix. Believe me, I know. We flourish in instant gratification, and if we don’t get it immediately, we easily give up. God’s isn’t a magician, and life isn’t a movie. Change isn’t an event, it’s a process. Few people are really willing to persevere on this journey of change.

Why is this journey so challenging? It demands radical surrender and sacrifice. To venture out of your comfort zone is incredibly difficult. To change your habits and behaviour isn’t easy. You hold on to these things because you actually enjoy them. They fulfil some of your basic needs. That’s why it’s so difficult to give them up – even when you realise that your behaviour and habits aren’t good for you any more.

This truth is that it’s difficult to accept that your own behaviour is systematically destroying you. Often it’s easier and more convenient to continue with the behaviour, because change would mean sacrificing and abandoning something.

Rabbi Twerski describes it as follows:

‘When people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs deny their addiction, it is often because realisation of the truth would necessitate change; namely, to give up the use of their chemical, and this would cause them discomfort. Similarly, when people refuse to acknowledge the truth of the sovereignty of God, it is because such realisations would call for changes in their lives, and it is usually more comfortable not to change. If I pray to be shown the truth, I must be prepared to sacrifice some comfort in order to live the truth.’

Unfortunately, you first have to discover the truth before you can believe in it. Only by admitting that you’re completely powerless in the face of your addiction and acknowledging that you’ve already lost the battle can you find the path to truth and yourself on the road to life-changing victory. Acknowledging your powerlessness over your addiction becomes the foundation of your strength through which you ultimately overcome your struggle.

Another reason that it’s difficult to change is that you really only see the fruits of your recovery after one or two years. It takes a long time to cultivate a new lifestyle and to see its results. Relationships, work, finances and a clear conscience don’t happen overnight; they take time, sometimes quite a long time.

But it really is worth the effort. Do yourself a favour and give yourself a chance to change. Allow yourself an honest and fair chance at life. For too long you’ve hurt yourself and allowed your addictive behaviour to rule you. You’re better than that. So ignore your doubts because your road to triumph has just begun.

You’ll meet a God of unconditional love and eternal triumph, and He won’t let you down. He’s greater and mightier than you can ever comprehend. He’s far more interested in our character than our comfort, although He provides unbelievable protection and comfort if you’re willing to do your part. If you show Him the necessary character, He always brings the necessary comfort; He’ll reveal Himself to you if you’re ready to change your life.

Something better is waiting for you – something much better than you’ve ever known.