Category: Tetelestai Recovery

Tetelestai Recovery

Finding New Life After Addiction: A Faith-Based Journey

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As we called an end to our addiction, using Christ’s words, “It is finished,” our recovery took root and began to grow into a new life filled with promise. We began to detect subtle changes in our thoughts and behaviors, but they often fluctuated so rapidly, we sometimes wondered if they were real or imagined. We understood that the development of our new life would take time, but the changes we had hoped would happen quickly seemed to be taking forever. Many of our old habits, we desperately wished would vanish, continued to linger. And some of the expectations we set for ourselves just weren’t happening.

However, we also noticed that some of our undesirable behaviors that we previously accepted as normal (or just being human) had disappeared without any effort on our part. In fact, there were some attitudes and mindsets which were so deeply ingrained in our personalities; we didn’t even think they could be removed. Yet, they disappeared without a trace, and we knew it was a God thing.

We realized that our relationships improved as we lost our drive to maintain the upper hand. As our lust and greed began to diminish, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had the ability to connect with others in an honorable manner. We enjoyed the responses we received. Where we once bristled at pushback and rejections, we began to enjoy camaraderie and companionship. Where we once used and abused others, in order to assert our power, we found that we grew to appreciate the strength of unity and the influence of a cooperative spirit.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Level Up Your Decisions: Embrace Responsibility for Change

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To level up, we must acknowledge that every action starts with a choice. And every choice carries two equal and opposite decisions. In other words, every choice carries both a yes and a no decision.

If we say yes to sobriety, we say no to chaos and destruction. And visa-versa. If we say yes to a drink or drug, we say no to hope and sanity. When we say yes to thinking about our choices, we say no to making the same bad decisions, expecting different results.

When leveling up, we must accept our own responsibility for the choices and events of our lives. We must realize that our decisions, even in little things, matter.  Whether it is getting a good deal on a laptop we suspect is stolen, or working the system to get benefits we don’t really deserve, every decision sets off a chain reaction of negative results and consequences.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Overcoming Adversity: The Power of Yes and No Choices

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We thought about our individual experiences with yes and no decisions, then shared them with the group.

One member who had been set free from an addiction to porn, shared his decision-making process when it comes to watching television. He knows which shows will trigger lustful thoughts, so he simply chooses not to watch them. He decides instead to watch sports, cooking shows, and science programs on PBS. He says yes to living free from shame which means he says no to shows that trigger him. Each time he makes that choice, he places himself in a position of power. He continues to pursue his destiny using the wisdom God has given. He is leveling-up into a mature, godly man who demonstrates great leadership skills.

Another member of the group shared about self-esteem issues. From childhood, he had been trying to cope with the confusion of trauma, unaware of what to call it. He struggled with feelings of unworthiness and was unable to feel a sense of value. That all changed when he made the choice to learn about trauma and its effects. He chose to develop a relationship with Jesus, his Healer. He made a choice to forgive and move away from the pain. Because he says yes to openness, and no to suffering in silence, he now operates in a position of influence and serves as an advocate for others. He has the wisdom of God and the heart of a servant.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Using PREPLANT to Combat Negative Thoughts

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When comparing our cognitive distortions against the eight descriptive words in Philippians 4:8, we find our solution. With these eight guardrails in place, we can choose which thoughts to keep and which ones to set aside.

  • Pure
  • Right
  • Excellent
  • Praiseworthy
  • Lovely
  • Admirable
  • Noble
  • True

Using the acronym, PREPLANT, we can check ourselves regularly throughout the day to make sure the thoughts running through our heads line up with at least one on the list.

If a thought does not meet the criteria, it is deemed unhealthy and carries the potential to make us sick. We cannot level up until we let go of the thoughts that don’t measure up.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Choose Healthy Thoughts: Level Up Your Mindset

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When we catch ourselves feeling discouraged or ashamed, we simply ask, “Is this thought excellent and praiseworthy?” If it is not, we need to drop it.

As hard as it is for us to believe, we have more power over our thoughts than we ever imagined. We find it is perfectly fine to set a negative thought down. We don’t need to lug it around with us until we make sense of it. We aren’t required to analyze and over-think, searching for some secret solution hiding inside our rapid-fire scatter thoughts. We can just let go and let God.

Unhealthy thoughts are just that. Unhealthy. They can never help us level up. If a thought is not healthy, we can set it down and choose a healthier topic.

As it turns out, our thoughts are a lot like books in a library. If we happen to pick one out that isn’t good, we can just put it back and choose a better one.

Using the criteria listed in Philippians 4, while paying particular attention to the instructions following the word finally, we can select our thoughts with intention and precision. We don’t need to be saddled with thoughts that hold us down and hold us back. We are leveling up and need to clear our minds of the unproductive clutter.

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Tetelestai Recovery

This is a Test. This is Only a Test.

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My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.   James 1:2-4

As it turns out, these times when we feel spiritually depleted or disinterested are not red flags for us to fret over. They are simply tests. These temporary times when we lack inspiration or get caught up in life’s drama have no bearing on our position in Christ or our commitment to His work.

We have come to understand that the testing of our faith can never happen during good times when inspiration flows freely, we are highly motivated, and praise songs play on a loop in our heads. Times of high spiritual energy and passion are thrilling, but they can’t do the work of generating patience. Only the testing of our faith can do that.

What is the Testing of Our Faith?

  • When our feelings betray us and tell us we don’t love God like we should.
  • When our behavior slips into an old pattern and makes us believe we have not changed.
  • When the excitement and enthusiasm we once had for God seems dull and muted.
  • When we just don’t care about trying so hard, because it’s too much work.

Previously, these difficult times had been dark and made us doubt our relationship with God. We were frustrated to find Him so distant when we needed Him the most.

However, when we begin to view these events as a process which increases our patience and equips us for the next level, we start to see their value. We no longer need to feel frustrated when God goes silent. A good teacher is always silent during a test.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Navigating Spiritual Highs and Lows

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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.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Harnessing Divine Power

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The power of God flows into each person like an electric current. For it to have an effect, there must be a conductor to draw it out. Our beliefs create the cord that connects us to the Source.

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.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Understanding God’s Promises: Hope Beyond the Curse

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One might 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.

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Tetelestai Recovery

The Pain of Waiting: Why We Crave Progress

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Many of us remember cruising down the highway singing along with the distinctive voice of Tom Petty as he wailed, “The way-ay-ay-ting is the hardest part.” Ironically, we drove at least 10 miles per hour over the speed limit because we were too impatient to slow down. We wanted to get where we were going and not waste time in the process.

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.

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