Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!"

Teacher writing mathematical equations on a chalkboard as students take notes

Sometimes, our tests are random and spring up like a pop quiz. Other times, an ominous test looms far in the future, and we struggle to avoid it. However, considering our passage from James, we need not avoid tests. They all have a purpose; even the ones we fail. If the test teaches us to be patient, with ourselves, with God, or with another human being, we have passed. With God, we are always in a win-win situation.

Our tests are to develop patience. The work of patience is to develop perfection. There is no fast track from one to the other. Each test takes time. That’s where patience does its work.

The bridge from knowledge to skill is practice.

The bridge from skill to mastery is time.

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Tetelestai Recovery

Finding Strength in Patience: A Guide to Resilience

September 10, 2026September 4, 2026 lastwordrecovery

Patience tells us that tests are only temporary. Patience tells us that God is doing a good work in us, and He will complete it. Patience tells us not to judge our walk by one random stumble. Patience keeps us steady as we wait for the storm to pass.

It is patience that we lack when we throw up our hands and give up. It is patience that we lack when we question our progress.

Patience will get us to the finish line. Patience will help us be gentle with ourselves.

Have We Been Delusional in Our Spiritual Journey?

September 9, 2026September 4, 2026 lastwordrecovery

We still find it difficult to be joyful in these quiet times of testing. We prefer excitement and enthusiasm. It is easy to stay faithful when we are bombarded with supernatural events and scriptures that jump off the pages. It is natural to stay connected to God’s plan and purpose when we see growth and progress at every turn. It is effortless to love God’s presence when we feel the warmth of His love envelop us like a hug from heaven.

The testing times are not so easy to enjoy. We doubt ourselves. We doubt God. We doubt our progress. We doubt our faith. We wonder if our faith is just a delusion and the changes we experienced were not real at all. We flail around in an emotional free fall and without the support of our spiritual siblings, our minds may wander into a dark place.

When caught up in a moment of testing, we must resist letting our feelings and circumstances serve as a litmus test for our faith. It is not healthy, nor is it accurate.

Finding God in Silence: Embracing Spiritual Tests

September 8, 2026September 2, 2026 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.

Signs Our Faith is Being Tested

September 7, 2026September 2, 2026 lastwordrecovery

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.

It’s Not a Red Flag: Understanding Spiritual Tests

September 6, 2026September 1, 2026 lastwordrecovery

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

****This is a Test. This is Only a Test.****

The times when we feel spiritually depleted or disinterested are not red flags for us to fret over. They are simply tests. The 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.

From Mountains to Deserts: Navigating Life’s Journey

September 5, 2026September 1, 2026 lastwordrecovery

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.

Journey to Spiritual Fulfillment: Acknowledge the Struggles

September 4, 2026September 1, 2026 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.

Believing for Miracles: Stories of Hope and Patience

September 3, 2026September 1, 2026 lastwordrecovery

Person raising arms in a field overlooking a town at sunset

Group Discussion:

Name a blessing or a miracle that you are waiting for right now.

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.

Waiting with Certainty: Trusting God’s Timing

September 2, 2026September 1, 2026 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.

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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.

paperback 9.99

audiobook 3.99

ebook 2.99

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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

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Group Discussion:

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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.