Tag: Personal Worth and Value

Tetelestai Recovery

Finding God in Silence: Embracing Spiritual Tests

lastwordrecovery
Weary adventurer slumped at tavern table holding an empty tankard

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.

Thanks to the book of James (and our brother by the same name who shared this passage with us), we are learning to identify our spiritually ‘blah’ times as simple tests. These tests are challenging and exhausting, but they mark the completion of one level which advances us to the next.

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Tetelestai Recovery

From Mountains to Deserts: Navigating Life’s Journey

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Hiker trekking above winding roads in a lush mountain valley

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.

We aren’t sure what to call these moments of uncertainty. The term ‘backsliding’ is way too harsh. The last thing we need is to feel more isolated and cut off from God than we already do.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Freedom from the Curse: A Life of Blessings

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Clear stream flowing over rocks through a lush green forest

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

Understanding Emotional Needs: A Deep Dive

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Group Discussion:

  • Have you ever been pressured to meet someone else’s emotional needs? How did that make you feel?
  • Have you ever pressured someone else to meet your emotional needs? How did that work out?
  • Name some specific emotional needs you have.
  • What are some scriptures you can claim over them?
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Tetelestai Recovery

Identifying Emotional Needs for Personal Growth

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According to Philippians 4:19, God promises to meet all our needs. Not just physical and spiritual, but emotional as well. So, we must now ask ourselves, “What are some of my emotional needs?”

  • The need to be needed.
  • The need to be loved.
  • The need for relationships.
  • The need for encouragement.
  • The need to love without fear.
  • The need to be significant.
  • The need to be useful.
  • The need to be content.
  • The need to feel worthy.
  • The need to have a sense of purpose.
  • The need to have a sense of direction.
  • The need for boundaries.
  • The need for security.
  • The need for approval.
  • The need for respect.

With all these needs, and many more, we realize how unfair it would be to ask another human to meet them. We think about all the times that we scroll through texts on our phones, looking for reassurance that we are worthy, needed, loved, approved, or any of the other emotional needs we have at the time.

Ironically, it seems a bit ridiculous that we place more hope in a text on our phone than in Sacred Text filled with the love of God. One connects us to other flawed humans; the other connects us to the Creator of the Universe who loves us dearly. 

As we evaluate our unmet emotional needs and identify the ones which cause us the most pain, we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us to our truth.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Why Unmet Emotional Needs Can Deplete Us

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We sometimes struggle in our relationships. We are confident, capable, and intelligent, yet the difficulty of certain interpersonal pressure makes us feel inadequate, insecure, and inferior. We sometimes invest ourselves in human connections but end up feeling depleted and exhausted. When our emotional needs are ignored, we feel short-changed. We need a place to find replenishment when our emotional pool runs dry.

We sometimes invest our emotional energy into relationships that consume us. We invest generously, with hopes of a healthy return, but face bitter disappointment when the dividends are given to another. Even when we invest into a mutually compatible relationship, we may still fail to see any substantial gains to our emotional portfolio.

We feel as if our investments should be growing and gaining in value but unfortunately, our emotional energy just does not replenish itself. Other human beings will not and cannot replenish us. Emotional needs are a problem. They have been a part of our lives, long before we knew what to call them.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Curiosity and Mystery: A Journey into the Unknown

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We don’t have all the answers, and that’s okay. In fact, sitting in the unknown is what keeps us intrigued and engaged. It places our curiosity on high alert and keeps us digging for more clues. We enjoy stumbling through the vast expanse of the unknown because that’s where we are introduced to an Intelligence that outpaces our own.

We pray for a fresh word and feel certain there is always one on its way. We make peace with our unanswered questions. We know they will serve as the driving force that keeps us captivated with the vast expanse of this great eternal mystery. 

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Tetelestai Recovery

Embracing Positivity in Faith Communities

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As we level up, we begin to realize how unproductive it is to spend time analyzing controversial topics or arguing over the meaning of obscure scriptures. We avoid the debaters and instigators. We steer clear of the loud, sweaty preachers yelling about sin and eternal damnation.

We choose rather to participate in worship services, recovery groups, and Bible studies that are surging with positivity and hope. Our fellowship gatherings serve as a recharging station where we plug into the power and become energized for the work ahead.

We focus on encouraging the gifts and talents of fellow believers.

We remain open to new opportunities, even though we feel awkward outside of our comfort zones. We understand that fear of the unknown is an obstacle everyone encounters, but it need not hold us back.

We stay open to change and ready to pivot at a moment’s notice, in response to the Spirit’s directives.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Earning Respect Instead of Demanding It: A New Perspective

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Warrior in armor and elf in hooded cloak shaking hands surrounded by magical energy

Our New Normal offered many pleasant surprises. Some of our upgrades were unfamiliar, yet welcome. We enjoyed becoming an honorable person. We were delighted to be viewed as trustworthy. We stopped demanding respect and began earning it. We appreciated the new opportunities God sent our way. We looked in amazement at the doors which stood open in front of us. We looked with gratitude at the doors which had closed behind us.

The glaringly obvious issues had been removed with Jesus’ words, “It is finished!” and once we began moving out of our active addiction, much of the chaos connected with our former lifestyle settled down. We looked to the future with hope and knew that God was working out the more subtle issues, one at a time, little by little…

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A Date With Destiny

Why Good People Are Rare: Discovering Your Purpose

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“I discovered that good people are hard to find. Such people are one in a million!”

(Ecclesiastes 7:28)

You function best when you are working to improve the world you live in. You find that this is what generates your passion and creative expression.

Your willingness to follow God’s plan and timing is evident in the paths you take, and those you don’t. You have clarity of mind and purpose. Your work is an expression of your gifts and talents designed to benefit others.

You are content with what you have and enjoy working toward something greater than personal happiness.

God has given you a creative mind which empowers you with enthusiasm and fervor. You dedicate your days of human existence working for the greater good, because you are a good person and according to your birthday verse, you are one in a million!

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