Christian Recovery: Real Resolutions

It’s a New Year, and time again for your New Year’s resolution. Yes, the one you have made every year for the past too many years. You’re going to quit drinking and/or doing drugs. Or, you’re going to slow way down, or just plan to party on weekends or special occasions. Well, like every year, you’ll do okay for a short while, and then return to your out-of-control habits. And like clockwork, things will get worse and your addiction will get stronger.

The problem with your resolution is that you’re speaking about change, but not making the necessary changes. In order to get clean and sober, everything has to change.  This starts by first understanding what the word ‘resolution’ means. One online definition describes the word ‘resolution’ this way: “a firm decision to do or not to do something.”

A firm decision is different from a flimsy one. A firm decision is one that is set in stone. You can’t move it. You can’t change it. It’s set!  A flimsy decision is weak. It is when you decide to ‘try’ to do something while allowing yourself the freedom to fail at it. Therefore, your flimsy New Year’s resolution gives you an excuse to continue abusing alcohol and/or drugs. You can tell yourself and others how hard you tried, but to no avail.

So, this year, I have three suggestions for making a New Year’s Resolution:

·         Stop making flimsy New Year’s resolutions. They are ridiculous. If you don’t plan to actually quit your addiction, then don’t say you will.

·         Make a real resolution to get set free from drugs and alcohol. In other words, decide that no matter what, you will quit, once and for all.

·         Don’t expect God to make it easy. God can deliver you from your addiction if He chooses. But often times, he expects us to stand on his promise… to follow through with our promises… to white knuckle our freedom if that’s what’s necessary.

Years ago, when I decided to quit drinking, I suffered from withdrawals for three weeks. And I was tempted to relapse every day because my husband was still drinking, Of course, he made sure alcohol was in the house at all times. But I had RESOLVED the issue in my mind. I had declared myself free, and I resisted the temptation. No, it wasn’t easy, but I knew that with God I could do it. And with GOD, I did it! And you can too.

I wrote “Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to RadicalRecovery” to give you the truth and inspiration you need to declare yourself free from addictions. There’s never a good time or a better time to quit, so just make up your mind right now and DO IT!