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…
Greed, lust, strife, envy, deception, and fear were familiar to us. Generosity, honesty, loyalty, wisdom, honor, and humility existed outside of our comfort zone. These traits seemed unattainable for those of us who seemed so deeply damaged.
We sometimes felt it was impossible to be comfortable in such unfamiliar territory.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)
Within these words of Jesus, we found our stability. We stopped beating ourselves up for failing to accomplish what no human could. We realized our New Normal was a gift from God. We could not force it or coerce it. We would not need to use our old manipulation techniques to con Him into giving us a new life.
Thankfully, our old ways became so frustrating and futile, we finally let them go. We felt like gymnasts on the uneven parallel bars. Releasing our grip on what had previously stabilized us, sent us reeling wildly in mid-air, hoping to catch hold of the new life when it came within reach. We grabbed at anything and everything that might be it.
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, which 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.
In the original language of the New Testament, the phrase “It is finished,” was translated from the Greek word Tetelestai. I was introduced to this word one day when I was well into my fourth year of permanent healing from addiction. I didn’t realize at the time that I was entering the phase of my recovery that would prove to be permanent.
It was through this word that I started to delve deeper into the power of the last words of Christ “It is finished.” I discovered the power of Tetelestai, during a year-long court battle which had been a residual consequence from my old life. The day I appeared in court to hear the verdict and receive my sentence, I claimed this scripture and the word Tetelestai over my case. I was relieved by the peace it held and became willing to accept whatever God had in store for me, even if it meant a year in prison.
I prayed this scripture and acknowledged the fact that God had already redeemed me. He had made me a new creation by healing me from addiction. As I was praying that morning, God was working on the judge. He gave the judge an insight into something that no one else had seen. To everyone’s surprise, he dismissed my case, and I walked out of there a free man.
We all knew that Jesus, my advocate, was at work in that courtroom. I also know that He delivered the insight into my judge’s mind around the same time my wife and I were praying that morning. When the verdict was given, it seemed as if Jesus said, “’It is finished! Let my servant, Marc get back to handling the work I’ve given him to do.”
I suffered from anxiety all my life and didn’t know what to call it. I self-medicated with drugs and alcohol, which only made the problem worse. I ended up hitting bottom in the worst way and was facing prison. Thankfully, I didn’t run. I did my time and that is where I met Jesus. I continued progress after my release and recently celebrated 17 years clean and sober.
Since leaving prison, God has placed people in my path who would help me in my journey. One was a doctor who understood addiction and provided me with safe, legal, non-addictive medication that relieved my anxiety. Later, God brought a man into my life who was also in recovery. He had found Jesus and sobriety while incarcerated several years earlier and was currently hosting AA and NA meetings in our local jail. We eventually married and now enjoy a life that is better than we ever imagined possible. We owe all credit to Jesus who gathered up our shattered lives and restored us to sanity.
Through our journey and subsequent prison ministry, we wrote the book, Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished, which details our journey into the freedom and recovery found in the final words of Jesus, “It is finished!”
“Don’t pay attention to everything people say – you may hear someone insulting you.”
(Ecclesiastes 7:21)
Without judgment, repulsion or excuse, you gently detach from people who exhibit little concern for the pain they cause or the negative impact they have on their fellow humans.
You do not join in with those who belittle or diminish another’s worth.
You remove yourself from environments which are darkened by oppression, hate, disrespect, and intolerance. You do not allow yourself to be impacted by their insults. You choose to ignore their words so you don’t get caught up in defensive arguments or become ensnared by anger and resentment.
You realize these painful experiences often bring emotional results. You don’t understand why people are so awful to each other.
In quiet times, as you vent to God in sorrowful prayers, He hears and understands.
The demeaning and insulting expressions that offend you, are the same ones that offend Him too.
Sorrow may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding.
(Ecclesiastes 7:3)
You sense God’s presence with greater intensity during times when you are down and find it impossible to stand on your own.
Because of this, you have learned to be grateful for your struggles, for they generate a new level of intimacy between you and your Creator.
You know God is there to help shoulder the heaviness you feel when your heart is sad and therefore, you are able to find hope even in the midst of despair.
Through this, you gain a greater appreciation for the relationship you have with the Divine and a deeper understanding of the value of His presence.
The Tetelestai Recovery Series is a collection of faith-based recovery books written by Marc and Lori Ridenour, based on their own experience with alcoholism and drug addiction. Rooted in the biblical declaration “It is finished” (John 19:30), the series offers a faith-based approach to finding lasting freedom from addiction and the emotional wreckage that accompanies it.
Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook formats.
Volume 1: Tetelestai Recovery: It is Finished Introduces the core concepts of the series. It targets suffering addicts, chronic relapsers, and their loved ones. The authors provide evidence of permanent sobriety by focusing on Christ’s ultimate healing rather than the traditional life-long struggle.
Volume 2: Our New Normal Focuses on the often awkward and overwhelming early stages of sobriety. This book guides readers through identifying and resolving emotional and social dysfunctions, helping them navigate fears and resentments.
Volume 3: Leveling Up A lifeline designed to assist individuals in achieving long-term, lasting victory over any addiction to reach their full potential.
