Scripture:
But you , man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11
Lesson:
We will have times and issues that will try to rob us of our sanity. No matter what our situation, we can find the wholeness of mind that we are looking for. Now that we have hope and are continuing to be restored, how do we maintain our sanity?
S: Steady growth, not perfection, is the goal!
One way to lose our sanity is to look for perfection or expect immediate change. It takes time to overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits. We need to look out for all the small ways we have changed.Jesus Christ is our Higher Power! He desires a relationship with us.
A: Accept the things I cannot change
We need to remind ourselves that there are things we need to do and there are things that only God can do. When we allow God to handle the things we cannot change, we will keep our sanity.We learn to have realistic expectations of ourselves and others.
N: Notice new hurts, hang-ups, and habits, and take action
If you’ve been on your recovery journey for a while and still feel like your life is out of control, it may be that you have issues you have not dealt with yet. Until they are dealt with, they will cause us to spin out of control!We can find healing from our past, and do not have to live by our old ways any longer.
I: Invite others to help us along the way
We all must invite other people to hold us accountable and keep us on track. These people have the ability to look into our lives and see things we may not notice on our own.
T:Try to keep short accounts
While healthy people can keep us on track, unhealthy relationships can derail us. While we can’t control other people and keep them from hurting us or those we love, we can control our response. Instead of holding onto grudges, we can extend forgiveness and make amends quickly.
Y: Your higher power is on your side!
You are not alone! You have the God who created the universe on your side! The same power that Jesus used to calm the sea is the same power living inside of you!No matter what shape your life is in today, together God and you can handle it!
Application:
I don’t know about you, but I love my peace! I’m willing to do everything in my power to keep that peace. That doesn’t mean everything in my life is perfect. In fact, I have situations right now that could easily derail my peace, but I’m choosing not to let them take hold of me. Instead, I go to God. Every day, I set aside quiet time to talk with Him and journal through what I’m experiencing. It helps me stay accountable for my part, let go of offenses, and extend forgiveness to others before resentment can set in.
Take a moment to reflect: What situation or relationship is currently threatening your peace, and what is one practical step you can take today to give it to God and extend forgiveness?
