Why Can’t I Have a Glass of Wine with Dinner?

And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Joshua 8:2

Many of us who’ve struggled with drugs and alcohol have also struggled with longing to be able to have a social drink like the normies. We could never manage to keep it to just one drink previously, but in recovery, we begin to think that we’re better now and in our new condition, we should be able to control our drinking. We watch others and we think, If they can do it, I should be able to do it. I shouldn’t have to go the rest of my life without being able to have a glass of wine with dinner. That’s not fair.

I’ve seen many individuals in recovery fall into this trap. They try to emulate those around them, enjoying a glass of wine with dinner. And it works . . . for a while. Sooner or later though, the glass of wine turns into a bottle of vodka hidden in the garage. One is too many and a thousand is never enough. They eventually discover what everyone who’s been addicted to chemicals discovers. I can’t drink like normal people. The rules are different for me.

Though it seems unfair, not everyone lives by the exact same rules. This is apparent from today’s passage, in which God commanded the Israelites to invade the land of Ai. When they conquered Ai, God authorized them to keep their spoils of war. Previously though, at Jericho, God had commanded the Israelites to keep nothing for themselves. In fact, Achan had just been stoned to death for doing this very thing. If he could see the Israelites in Ai, keeping their plunder, I think he would have felt cheated. Why can they do it? Why was I stoned for it? That’s not fair, God!

Whatever God’s reason for changing that rule, the message is clear – God makes the rules. Neither Achan, the Israelites, nor you or I get to make the rules. God does. A thing is right or wrong, healthy or unhealthy, because God declares it to be so.

Because of my addiction, the rules are different for me. I’ve proven that I struggle with chemicals and that I’m terrible at having just one. If I desire the life God intends for me, I must abstain from all alcohol. There are a lot of people in the world who can have wine with dinner. I’m simply not one of them. I don’t have to like it, but God makes the rules. I don’t.