Everlasting love
Romans 8:31 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? (MSG)
As we walk through recovery, too often we forget the love of Jesus. We have so many things we need to do to 'get right' with people. We think we have so many things to do to 'get right' with God. Can I really keep up with being 'clean'? When I reach my year celebration, or five year celebration, can I keep going? There were times in my recovery when I had a temptation to just take a break from being 'clean'. I can think especially of friends that got together to celebrate Memorial Day or Labor Day. After all, it is important to celebrate the beginning of summer, right? Drinking needs to be part of that celebration to begin summer in the right way. You can't not drink on Labor Day. Summer is ending and it is the last chance to drink with your friends. Those days were tough. Even if your friends were kind of ok with you not drinking with them, that inner voice still talked to you saying it is only a once a year time.
This is the time we need to look at what Paul says to us in the verses above. Jesus loves you so much that He died for you. He rose again, paying for all the sins you have done in the past and the sins you will do in the future. Because of this love, we are free to live as new people. We don't have to worry about what we do and how we will fail. Jesus' love never fails. If we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive you. There is nothing else to do. Because of that, we can pray to Him and ask Him for help living this new 'clean' life. We don't have to be afraid that He will stop loving us. Jesus will walk with you during this journey. He will not leave you because you had a slip up. Paul reminds us of this great news to live in. We are not perfect, just forgiven. Because of that, we would not want to continue to live in our alcohol addiction. We will want to live in the freedom in Jesus. Grace from Jesus cost a price...His life. But it was because He loved you. He will never stop loving you. Work that recovery with Him by your side and knowing that He loves you.
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