Group Discussion:
- What are you doing while you wait?
- Share about a time when you believed for a miracle and received it, even though you had to wait for it.
Believing for Miracles: Stories of Hope and Patience
Tag: Recovery
The Electric Flow of Faith: Harnessing God’s Promises
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 one of God’s promises found in scripture. 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.
Freedom from the Curse: A Life of Blessings
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.
Understanding Emotional Needs: A Deep Dive
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?
Understanding Emotional Depletion and Its Impact
When our emotional center becomes 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 have failed us and realize how foolish it was to think that they wouldn’t.
Why Unmet Emotional Needs Can Deplete Us
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.
Curiosity and Mystery: A Journey into the Unknown
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.
Embracing Positivity in Faith Communities
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.
The Impact of Non-Drug Addictions: Find Your Freedom
We concluded that all humans suffer from at least one type of addiction. However, we also know that every addiction can be called out and destroyed, using the pronouncement of Jesus, “Tetelestai” (It is finished).
Last Word Recovery Ministries developed the Tetelestai Recovery program that is based on the power of Jesus declaration which offers the possibility of permanent freedom for anyone struggling with addiction.
As the ripple effect of this program began to reach the families and friends of those who were enjoying permanent sobriety, we received requests for an expanded version of the program which could address other destructive addictions and dysfunctions beyond the scope of drug or alcohol dependence. We were intrigued by this idea and excited to pursue it.
In this third volume of Tetelestai Recovery, we address some non-drug addictions, along with other dysfunctional behaviors related to the human condition. We offer Sacred Text selections that can break these strongholds and prevent further harm.
Tetelestai Recovery is not just for addicts. It is for everyone. Jesus says, “It is finished!” to the behaviors and dysfunctions that weigh us down and hold us back.
How Boredom Drives Self-Destructive Habits
As we examined the subtext hidden under the umbrella of this word boredom, we were amazed at how many addictions and dysfunctional behaviors were represented within this bizarre human condition.
We evaluated the times when we felt uncomfortable with our thoughts and behaviors and found there was typically a sense of dullness casting its shadow over the moment.
Boredom meant we were discontent with the level of stimulation occurring in our brains or bodies. To combat discontentment, we looked for outside stimuli to create an artificial sense of satisfaction. Many of us in the group had found a temporary fix through drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, nicotine, revenge, relationships, or food. However, once those self-destructive tendencies were conquered, we found more socially acceptable addictions like workaholism, perfectionism, intellectualism, and a slew of other ‘isms’.
Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!" 