Years: 7
Days: 2,572
Hours: 61,749
Minutes: 3,704,967
Seconds: 222,298,105
That, according to a handy dandy little table on a recovery site, is my length of sobriety as of when I began writing this, counting from midnight on May 17, 2010, seven years. But while it's really cool, at least to me, it's not entirely accurate. It is true that May 17, 2010 is the first day, as in 24-hour period, where I did not ingest any drink or drug after my relapse. But I quit pouring junk into my body on the 16th, and I can't remember or swear to being completely sober and clear headed by midnight. Some of that crap wasn't totally out of my system for a wile, days even. It's not about that date, it's not about the number of years.
See, the important thing to realize, know and remember is that I didn't do this. I haven't been able to keep myself clean and sober for seven years. To the best of my calculation, two weeks is about is much as I could ever manage on my own. I did make it 30 days white-knuckling it, on my own. I celebrated by getting both drunk and high. I surrendered after that. God gave me relief and recovery, 15 months of it. I took it back and threw it away, because I got angry at God and put up a wall between us, which of course meant I had to do this sobriety thing on my own power. It didn't take long before I was back out there doing what I've done so many times before, racing down the road to the grave at 200 MPH, That's what I do. I destroy my life. I drink. I drug. I do other stupid and destructive things that wreck relationships, lives, hopes, dreams, etc.
To me and those who knew me before the end of 2008, to those who witnessed my speedy spiral of destruction when I relapsed in 2010, my being clean and sober for seven years is a miracle of parting the Red Sea proportions. And that's just it. I can't part the sea. I can't part the water in a puddle. It's beyond me. And I can't and didn't get myself or keep myself free of drink and drug either. But you know what? I don't think parting the Red Sea and making the sea bed dry was any big deal for God. He is the one who spoke creation into existence and caused the planets and stars to maintain their critical orbits for all the thousands of years since that moment. I don't think controlling me for seven years has been a taxing task. So that date is not monumental in that sense. It won't be any harder for God to keep me clean and sober for the next 40 years than it was that first day.
In fact. it might be, should be, easier for Him. The difference between my recovery and the moon's orbit around the earth is that the moon never tries to run its own course or impose its own will on the God that controls its path. The date that is critical and monumental for me is not May 17, 2010. It's May 17, 2017, at least today it is. Tomorrow the important day will be May 18, 2017. You get the idea. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to choose to take up our cross and follow Jesus, to surrender our heart, lives and will to the care of Daddy. Today is the day to get out of His way, so He can change us, transform us into His image and likeness, lead us in the paths of righteousness and give us a life worth living. But it's also important to remember that He leads us and guides us in what is good and right and loving for His names sake. He gives us freedom and victory so that our life can bear witness to those we would serve and help, bear witness of His power, His love and His way of life.
It's all about Him, who He is, His love for all of us, and what He has done and continues to do. Seven years of continuous sobriety in the life of Dalyn Woodard is not a testament of what I have done or can do. It is however a powerful example of what God can do, because if He can set me free after a quarter of a century of bondage to drink and drug, He can do the same for you, for anyone. And maybe your issue isn't drink or drug. Maybe it's something else. Whatever it is that gets in between you and Daddy, that you can't cut out of your life yourself, that you can't even want to eliminate half the time because a part of you always seems to default to running to that place, that thought, that behavior, that activity, that whatever instead of Him for comfort, safety or joy, God can not only set you free from that and replace it with something better. But it's His miracle. It's His power. It's His glory. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's all about Him.
I am grateful for my recovery. I am full of joy at the reminder of what God continues to do. I am not unique. You can have it too. Surrender and let Him lead you to love and freedom, and you can join me in celebrating the joy and love and freedom found in relationship with Daddy today. Every day in relationship with our Creator is a miracle of epic proportions and worth celebrating and rejoicing over, whether it's one day, seven years or much, much more.
This site is free. If this blessed, helped and or informed you, the best thing you can do is pass it on via the social buttons below. And please subscribe or follow Unshackled Life Ministries on Facebook.
Unshackled Life Ministries is grateful for every person that reads the daily Unshackled Moments, the weekly Unshackled Echo and or listens to the Audio Messages. I want to thank those who have clicked "like" on something that blessed or ministered to them on social media, commented on the blog or replied to an email subscription. It is encouraging to know that God is using this ministry to help and bless others. Please remember that if God used something from this ministry to help, encourage or bless you, it could also bless someone else. Would you help get the devotions and sermons to more people by sharing this? Hitting the share button or forwarding this to a friend will help us reach more people with the good news of freedom and the encouragement to live an Unshackled Life. Thank you and God bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment