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He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog . . . He put a new song in my mouth . . . Psalms 40:2-3 Because I write most often about my responsibility in my recovery and faith, I might mistakenly give the impression that I think I do this all…
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Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered . . . For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away . . . Psalms 32:1-3 When I read today’s passage, I thought, I’ve been there. I’ve pursued some appetite that I thought was fulfilling, until I found myself trapped by it. Enslaved…
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The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Psalms 23:1-3 I’ve had more than one counselor attempt to identify some childhood trauma or depression that led to my drug use. Perhaps there is some such reason for…
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The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge . . . (Psalms 18:2) Many times, I have worked at a problem, trying many different ways to solve it, resorting to prayer only when all else has failed. When I finally get to that…
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Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked . . . but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:1-2 I usually look for the easy way to do everything. When I had to go to treatment, I didn’t…
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Though he slay me, I will hope in him . . . Job 13:15 Most of my suffering has been self-inflicted, so I’m not well versed in what to say when bad things happen unfairly. If anyone ever suffered in a way that seems unjust (to me) though, it was Job, who endured incredible loss, precisely…
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He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you. Job 5:18 We’ve all been there. A friend goes through something terrible and in our desire to comfort – and to say something spiritual – we offer up ill-conceived advice. We don’t mean to be insensitive, but we compound misery by suggesting…
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The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Job 1:21 When bad things happen, most of us want to know why. When times are good, we thank God, but when life falls apart, we want a reason. We like formulaic answers, so we may turn to passages…
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Whom would the king delight to honor more than me? Esther 6:6 Today’s passage on pride, as always, is for me. Though I find other’s pride so ugly, I find I am often completely comfortable with my own. In the story, Haman was elevated to a powerful position by the king of Persia, but Mordecai, a…
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I will go to the king . . . and if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:16 I hear this not infrequently in Christian circles, regarding drug addiction: It’s simple. Just believe in Christ and your free. What’s odd to me, is that those I hear saying it, still struggle with food, tobacco or pride, just…
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