From Powerless to Hope

We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.

“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
(Romans 7:18)

I couldn’t believe it, but; there I was sitting in back of a police car, the handcuffs so tight they were digging into my skin. Hoping this was just a bad dream. It seemed like forever as I watched the cop search my Explorer for more drugs. I thought, am I going to jail again for drugs?... and then… I thought… am I stupid?…. How could let this happen again? Why couldn’t I stop doing meth? I tried everything I could think of on my own. I was one of the smartest kids in my class, certainly I could figure out how to stay off this stuff.

That was a night in my life over 7 years ago, what a mess I was then.. ya know trying to run my own life? Thinking I could do it on my own?

Luckily that night the police didn’t haul me to jail but did cite me for possession of methamphetamine. The whole ordeal was embarrassing; however, I now look back at that day December 8 2001 as the day my life started to turn around. I was offered rehab and if I completed it, the charges would be wiped off! But I had to stay clean SOMEHOW.

I started the process after I went to court. Part of the process involved attending Narcotics Anonymous

It is where I learned step1… admitting I was powerless though? That was tough.

When we use the word itself powerless, it takes a lot to think that as strong as we think we are that we are completely without power? Power to do what? Or Power to not do what?

To think of ourselves as powerless takes humility (the absence of pride) but powerless over what?

Start with one thing… take one thing in your life hmm a dripping faucet for example or better yet a completely plugged drain… or … lets say every faucet in your home drips and every drain is plugged. Do you have the POWER to fix them all? Time to call someone

When our hurts habits and hang-ups drip out of control it sometimes takes a lot to admit we cannot handle them….

What is there in your life that you cannot stop, but you really want to? Are you going to wait until it drips out of control? There is a power greater! There is someone to call and He can fix anything... if we give it to him

In the next step/ lesson we talk about how great and powerful our Lord is. We talk about knowing that there is a power greater than ourselves. There is great comfort in knowing that.

From Isaiah Chapter 40

28] Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary,
his understanding is unsearchable.
[29] He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
[30] Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
[31] but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.