To reach out to Jesus for deliverance from an addiction, and to actually experience His desire and His ability to help, is perhaps the most humbling and awesome state of awareness a Christian can attain.

But when the healing is had and the addiction and pain give way to recovery and peace, then what?

The next logical step would seem to be "to live a normal life". I personally believed this to be the case until I was challenged by a friend to support the assumption biblically. I couldn’t do it. I was unable to find even one scripture where Jesus is quoted as saying "Congratulations, now go live out a normal life."

Our Ministry Leaders, our Missionaries, our Sisters, our Pastors, our Evangelists and our volunteers already understand this truth. They will tell you that peace and continued success do not come from overcoming an addiction or dependency, but from living out each day in the magnificent reality of Christ and introducing this state of grace to others who believe their out-of-control lifestyles exclude them from it.

To successfully move forward as Christians, we need to accept that recovery from an addiction is no great lifework in itself. Recovery must be seen for what it is; the removal of a barrier that held us back from greater Christian service.

So, if we are not already doing so, we need to get off our recovering buttocks and begin to pursue a servant’s heart. It is time now to believe and implement certain truths that our Ministry Workers, Sisters, Pastors, Missionaries, Evangelists and volunteers already grasp and practice:

Truth #1. We need to correct our assumption that a vice-free lifestyle is the very best that we are able to offer Jesus.

-Recovery from alcoholism, drug dependency, homosexuality, pedophilia, depression, anger, or adulterous living, and the forgiveness of those who may have damaged us are all good and right. However, they do not win souls for Jesus. The great life-changers in Christianity did not change lives by their clean living. They changed lives by their obedient and humble service.

Truth #2. Likewise, we must change our belief that recovery is the very best that Jesus has in store for us.

-Delivering us from a sinful behavior is merely a delicious taste of the love and romantic surprises He pours out joyfully over those who unreservedly obey and serve.

Truth #3. We have to understand that biblically-obedient living is not our gift to God; it is truly God’s gift to us.

-The absolute greatest joy of an obedient life is not found in the "lower risks" or "cleaner conscience". Christians who have found healing will tell you the richest return from obedient living is the subsequent explosion of intimacy it fuels between Creator and created.

Truth #4. We must realize that pursuing recovery from a "biggie" sin does not exempt us from our obligation to address the "lesser" sins in our lives like inappropriate language, gossip, stealing small office supplies, inattentive parenting or not honoring our elderly.

-If left unaddressed, these sins create a wonderful opportunity for Satan to step in and reignite our ungodly passions.

Recovery is without eternal value if we do not take advantage of our newfound freedom to enter into deeper service to Jesus Christ. It is time to take our free time, our knowledge, and our resources, which we previously used for sin, and redirect them to serving Christ.

Let us never forget this final and most important truth already known by the great Christians throughout history:

Truth #5. Conquering an addiction is but a testimony that God hears our prayers and loves us. Christian service, however, is a witness to others that God hears their prayers and loves them.

Christian service…what an incredibly under-rated career!

From Buggin’ Out ! Newsletter