Category: Tetelestai Recovery

faith based recovery

A narrow dirt hiking trail winds through wildflowers toward majestic, sunlit mountain peaks.
Tetelestai Recovery

Navigating Faith’s Highs and Lows

lastwordrecovery

As we release our addictions with the words of Jesus, “It is finished!” and settle comfortably into our new normal, we feel gratitude beyond words. The dysfunctions we struggled with in the past are fading in the distance. We are on firm footing and making solid progress.

Sometimes we make really good progress and are pleased with the distance we cover in such a short time. We feel that our relationship with God is in great shape, and we are motivated by our sense of accomplishment.

At other times, however, we feel as if we were trudging through mud, putting one foot in front of the other, lacking any drive or inspiration. We feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and disinterested. During these times, we don’t feel so great about our relationship with God. We assume He is disappointed with our lack of energy and enthusiasm.

These times are rare, but they happen often enough to make us question our stability and resolve. We wonder if one of these periods might last so long that we will just give in and give up.

We don’t want to lose what we have gained, and we don’t want to miss the joy of the journey, so the thought of trudging through the marshy swampland of doubt, discouragement, and disagreement feels very threatening.

We love the mountaintops and the flowery meadows, but we must face the fact that dry deserts and muddy bogs are also part of the expedition. We must make peace with both if we want to get where we are going.

When the roads are easy, we feel joy in looking back to see how far we’ve come. When the roads are difficult, we seem to take one step forward, two steps back. Sometimes we slip and fall. Sometimes we just stand still and shrug. Even when we do finally get on firm footing again and start to move forward, we scold ourselves for not being stronger, more resilient, or more determined…

continue reading

Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding Divine Timing: Strategic Waiting

lastwordrecovery

Waiting on God and being certain of His blessings is not pie-in-the-sky or wishful thinking. This faith choice is not presumptuous or improper. Blessings are the divine energy of God empowering us to succeed because we choose to believe in His goodness. He has equipped us with a divine destiny. He wants to see us succeed as much as we do.

And so, we wait for what God has promised, in the same way we might wait at a bus stop, in eager anticipation. We aren’t sitting at some random corner, hoping a bus might drive by. We are positioned at the right place at the right time, waiting for what we know is on its way. We aren’t waiting to see if a hopeful future will appear. We are waiting with confidence, certain of it.

Obviously, it would be silly to wait on a country road, expecting the city bus to magically appear. In the same way, we do not wait for God, based on our own whims and wishes. We examine His words when we are waiting for our miracles, just like we would examine a bus schedule to be sure of our direction.

We don’t hop on the bus headed east, when we are trying to go west. In the same manner, we don’t claim a scripture about healing when we are trying to find a job. Specific promises deliver specific results, so we search our Sacred Text to find the words we need…

continue reading
Hand reaching for a coiled power cord on the floor near a glowing wall outlet.
Tetelestai Recovery

The Power of Belief: Tapping into Spiritual Energy

lastwordrecovery
Hand reaching for a coiled power cord on the floor near a glowing wall outlet.

An electrical outlet by itself will not turn on a fan. The receptacle may hold the promise of power to run the fan, but if the cord is not plugged in, the current cannot flow.

Imagine the outlet as God’s promises. The cord is our belief which connects us to the current. Sure, we can become shamelessly independent from time to time, using arrogance and aggression to empower ourselves, but in that frame of mind, we are turning the blades of the fan by spinning them with our fingers. It is neither efficient, nor productive.

Self-induced exhaustion is the result when we resist plugging in and letting the energy flow. We use our own manipulations and self-defense mechanisms, rather than just resting on the promises of a hopeful future, because of God’s goodness.

Someone from the 17th century might call us crazy if we told him that sticking two metal prongs into a plastic box in the wall would make a lamp light up. His lack of knowledge about electricity or how it works would not prevent it from being true. It would not exclude him from experiencing the benefits of electric lights, even if he thought it seemed far-fetched or magical. The same is true for us. We have been placed on this planet by an Eternal God who exists outside of time and space. We do not understand spiritual energy any more than a person from the dark ages might understand electricity. Electrical energy has always existed, but humans living prior to the 19th century never knew how to access or use it properly…

continue reading
Open book, ceramic mug, and glasses on a wooden table during a misty sunrise.
Tetelestai Recovery

The Complexity of Faith: Why Some Feel Abandoned by God’s Promises

lastwordrecovery
Open book, ceramic mug, and glasses on a wooden table during a misty sunrise.

We sometimes wonder, “If God’s word is true, why are there people living without hope? Why wouldn’t His promise apply to everyone across the board?”

The answer is deeply complex. The reason God’s promises are not fulfilled is because His words rely on someone laying claim to them. These fantastic promises of God are often hard to believe for ourselves. Sure, we believe God is good, but we also know that we aren’t. We believe He does great things for good people, but it seems a bit presumptuous to expect the same blessings as someone who was busy doing great things for God while we were selfishly making a mess of our lives. We know the Bible talks about penalties for bad behavior, so it seems that if we believe in the blessings, we must also fear the curses.

That may have been a valid statement before the cross. But we live under Grace, not Law. Jesus broke the power of the curse, so we can all live in the blessing if we choose to believe it. We need not fear the curse or the consequences of our own mistakes. Those issues have been resolved. We are in a continual state of cleansing, like standing beneath a waterfall. Even a sin committed one second ago, is already washed away in the living water. We live exclusively in the blessings and enjoy firm standing on the promises. Curses do not cling to us. Blessings chase us down…

continue reading

A person with hands on face stands by a sunlit window while papers fly around.
Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding the ‘Suddenly’ Miracles: Lessons from Jesus

lastwordrecovery
A person with hands on face stands by a sunlit window while papers fly around.

As the believers waited in the upper room, the writer of Acts reported, “Suddenly, there was a sound like a mighty rushing wind…”

We see the word ‘suddenly’ and are reminded of those miracles we love so much. Jesus feeding the 5000 in a single afternoon; healing a blind man with mud; telling a dead girl to get up; and dozens of other stories set in a supernatural time warp, where the magic was instantaneous, and the desired results were immediate.

Obviously, Jesus was on a mission. He was out to prove that He was from God and to demonstrate the will of God by healing, delivering, feeding, and forgiving. If His miracles didn’t occur instantly, it would have been difficult for the onlookers to make the connection that Jesus was the one who had been the catalyst.

Additionally, while Jesus was in human form, the supernatural power of God did not have to travel through a flawed human to reach its destination. Perhaps His miracles were instantaneous because divine energy could flow freely through such a pure vessel. It didn’t get clogged up by the spiritual sediment and emotional toxins that the rest of us humans tend to carry. But, for whatever reason, miracles in Jesus’ day seem different than the miracles today. We rarely experience immediate, supernatural, instantaneous miracles and many of us struggle to hold onto our faith when we are waiting for our miracle to arrive…

Continue reading

Swirling trails of blue, purple, and gold light against a dark, blurred backdrop.
Tetelestai Recovery

Embracing Movement: The Journey from Here to There

lastwordrecovery
Swirling trails of blue, purple, and gold light against a dark, blurred backdrop.

In our human condition, we seem to find ourselves here, trying to get there. Then, when we finally get there, it becomes here, and a new there looms on the horizon.

We are not made to be static or immobile. We are made to move. We are designed to set goals and achieve them. We are passionate about progress and driven by ambition. However, we are often annoyed by the process.

Waiting is exhausting. Waiting is painful. Waiting is a violation of our sense of urgency. Waiting disrespects the value of our time.

continue reading

Moss-covered stone heart with golden light glowing from a large central crack.
Tetelestai Recovery

Overcoming Emotional Depletion and Finding Balance

lastwordrecovery
Moss-covered stone heart with golden light glowing from a large central crack.

When we pull away from relationships because the emotional cost is too great, we feel like a bad person. We want to follow the leadership of Jesus. We want to be the kind of person who turns the other cheek and goes the extra mile. But being that person takes its toll on our sense of well-being. Our trust turns into suspicion. Our self-sacrifice turns into self-defense and self-preservation. We become discouraged and frustrated. Our personal investments don’t always pay off and it seems pointless to throw any more emotional currency toward relationships that are bankrupting us.

With our emotional center depleted, it is easy to just shut down and go dark. For some of us, the darkness is called depression, and we struggle with thoughts of self-harm. For some of us, the darkness is shoved aside with distractions. We bury ourselves in work, entertainment, shopping, or anything else that will keep us from dealing with our unmet emotional needs.

These needs keep us running from one relationship to another; one career path to another; one church to another; one substance to another. We play the blame game, accusing our parents, our partners, or our culture. We know we have unmet emotional needs, so we are naturally drawn toward people and situations that promise to meet them. Of course, it is only a matter of time before they fail us. No human can fully meet our deep emotional needs. It is a painful lesson we have to learn time and time again, until we begin to understand what it means to level up.

We must accept the fact that no human being is equipped to completely fulfill another human being’s emotional, spiritual, and psychological needs. It is just not possible. And it is not their fault.

To level up, we must set aside our petty resentments about how others fail us. We must admit, we are foolish to think they won’t. They are human too!  

From this new perspective, we begin to see Philippians 4:19 much differently. God promises to meet all our needs. Not just physical and spiritual, but emotional as well…

continue reading

A despondent man sits before a large, luminous forest painting in a dark room.
Tetelestai Recovery

Letting Go of Perfectionism: A Spiritual Journey

lastwordrecovery

Although introspection is important to growth, it is not the main purpose of our spiritual awakening. We are moving into a new position of authority in Christ. We are leveling up. We are no longer human beings having a spiritual awakening. We are awakened spiritual beings affecting the realm of human existence.

Admittedly, human nature can often get in the way, so we frequently ask the Holy Spirit to show us where we need to improve. We ask for help in making the necessary changes. We believe we receive that help and start thanking God for the results even before we see them. We use the words of Christ, “It is finished!” (Tetelestai) to call an end to our obsession over shortcomings and our continual dialogue of negative self-talk.

Empowered by the Spirit of God, and emboldened by the words of Christ, we let go of the things that trip us up. We release our grip on perfectionism. We dismiss that internal committee in our heads who sit in judgement of our every motive, thought, behavior, or attitude. We stop auditioning for the lead role and find our proper place in the supporting cast. With the spotlight on Jesus and what He is doing, we take our eyes off ourselves and are relieved of self-consciousness.

LEARN MORE

Tetelestai Recovery

Overcoming Trials: The Promotion After the Fire

lastwordrecovery

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the area of Babylon. Daniel 3:30

You have the ability to stand up for what you believe and for whom you believe in. This is true of your loyalty toward friends and family as well as your loyalty to God.

You do not allow others to dictate your values or coerce you into an uncomfortable position of questionable ethics.

As the three Hebrew boys risked their entire future in order to remain true to their own sense of values, you too, are sometimes called upon to stand when everyone around you bows.

The temptation to accommodate powerful people, not matter how disgraceful, may be great, but as you maintain your stance and walk through the fire, you will find there is honor and promotion waiting on the other side.

You may sometimes be alone in your convictions, but you can count on Jesus to be at your side.

When you emerge from the fiery trial, you will discover that the burning shame did not touch you, and not even a hint of humiliation remains.

The promotion that you receive after walking through the fire may come from the same source who attempted to destroy you. This is an act of God, on your behalf. It is His pleasure to see His children promoted.

God has the power to change the heart of any authority figure, and He will happily do so, in order to place good people like you in positions of power.

learn more about march 30
Tetelestai Recovery

Creating Safe Spaces: A Call to Protect and Restore

lastwordrecovery

Zadok rebuilt the wall in front of his house. Samaiah, who protected the East Gate, rebuilt the section after that. Nehemiah 3:29

You have a persistent drive to repair and protect. Whether the source of disorder is a structure, a landscape, or a person, you recognize evidence of original design buried beneath the messy surface.

You have been given the gift of spiritual perception which sees past the damage and identifies true hidden value.

You understand that each child of God is a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. You possess a unique level of expertise in which you can clearly assess damages and identify appropriate steps to restore original beauty and brilliance, reflecting the Designer’s intent.

Many seek you out for your advice and input.  Your natural ability to accept people in their current state, and not shy away from dysfunctional behaviors, places you in a position of great influence.

Much like the experts who made repairs to the destroyed walls in Nehemiah’s day, you work to reconstruct the protective boundaries for God’s lost children who have been demolished by addiction, tragedy and poor choices.

With your relaxed demeanor and casual sense of humor, you build bridges for communication. With your commitment to stability and safety, you offer support to those who are feeling unsteady.

As you open your heart to those who are vulnerable and at risk, you are guarding the gate from the enemy intruders of lies and deception. 

You maintain secure boundaries. You dedicate your time and talents  to creating safe spaces and developing a secure sense of community.

learn more about march 29