Cody Leach 1085760
Western Missouri Correctional Center
609 Pence Rd.
Cameron, MO 64429
Today we will be covering step 6: we are entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.
- "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor." (James 4:10)
- ...when I kept silent my bones wasted away...your hand was heavy upon me, my strength was dried up..."I will confess my transgression to the Lord," and you forgave me... (Psalm 32:3-5).
In 2 Samuel 11-12, David thought he got away with adultery and murder but God's conviction helped him to realize that the sin in his life weakened his spiritual foundation and created a separation between them. In Psalms 23, David humbles himself before the Lord. He becomes ready to have God remove these defects of character. In reading the Psalm, you can hear David's pain and then see his relief when he has finally taken his sins to the Lord. To me steps 4, 5, and 6 are steps put in place to get right with ourselves (4), with our people (5), and with God (6). In my life, as I've fought with addiction and sin for many years, during that time, looking back, I can see that I often would avoid honest communication with others about my problems and feelings. I think it's important to surround ourselves with people who will help us face the truth.
Paul talks about this in Ephesians 4:25, saying "stop telling lies. Tell your neighbors the truth, for we are all part of the same body." Accountability and honesty in our lives and relationships are essential to being humble before the Lord, having God remove all our defects of character, and to our overall recovery. When we make ourselves accountable to the right people, I believe it helps to create an insurance policy in our lives with God. The caring influence of Godly people in our lives will help us to remain honest and humble before the Lord. In my life, I've at times felt isolated as a result of shame or fear of rejection. I'm learning that admitting my wrongs, steps 4, 5, and 6, help to breakdown the insecurities I have and brings me closer to the spot in my life where I can start to see the things God has for me, feel His love, and everything just seems to be a whole lot easier that way. Like I always say, read, pray, turn from sin, and surround yourself with people doing the same and at that point you might hear Jesus saying "Behold, I stand at the door knocking, open it up so I can come in and chill with you!"
Prayer: Father God, for many years of my life I struggled with how to "get to you" and I know that many people struggle with the same thing. Help us Father God to figure that out, to find in our lives the formula for knowing you and how that takes place. Everyone wants to be there and so many just don't know how to get there. Please help us Lord to find our way! Your will be done. In Jesus name, Amen.
Random Thought: There have been many days in my life where I was sick of the way I was living. Just miserable. My conscious was eating me alive. The only thing I knew to do was get high or take advantage of one of the many feel good remedies I had learned over the years. For the past several years I have not been the man I should have been to my family, my kids, and my girlfriend. I hope all of you can forgive me. I have laid in bed numerous times or taken walks to talk with God or try to figure out what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. Just ask Angela, she of all people knows. If I disappear I'll be back, I'm just trying to find my way!
Why am I saying all this? Because somewhere someone is having the same trouble I have had in my life or have had that feeling and it's just in remission right now. But it will be back. If you are that person who wants to feel the peace that is available to you through Jesus, just good old fashioned love, I want you to know that it's right here! It's available everywhere. You don't know how you are going to find it? I suggest read, pray, turn from sin, and surround yourselves with people doing the same! It took me 25 years to slow down enough and begin to feel pain long enough that I had to try something. So I got on my knees and gave it my all. I always knew where to find it but because I'm one of those instant gratification kind of guys, I wanted to instantly feel relief. Well guess what, it didn't work that way. My favorite feel good remedies take full effect in a matter of seconds and end in 10-12 hours. The one I'm on now took a few months and I hear it lasts a lifetime!
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