Unshackled Moments ~ May 14, 2018 ~ Don't Be Like Dalyn

There is a meme generator making it's way across Facebook, Be Like Bob. Perhaps you have seen one of these or even made a meme for yourself. My wife posted the one made from her profile, and curious, I clicked the link to try my luck. Dalyn is a drunk is basically what it said. My first thought was, I am so not posting this. Someone will think I relapsed a week before my sobriety anniversary!

But this meme generator is one of the few of these types of apps that has a try again button if you don't want or like the result. So, I tried again. And again.

And again. Four times it dared me to share Dalyn is a mess when it comes to alcohol; don't be like Dalyn. I had to laugh as the thought came to me that I was a week away from being clean and sober for eight years, and even Facebook doesn't seem to  forget that left to my own devices I'm a drunk and an addict. Then I began to feel grateful for this amusing reminder.

The children of Israel never went back to Egypt after being delivered, though they wanted to. They did, however, go back into captivity, and more than once. Each time because they had forgotten what God had done for them and whose they were. It easy to start thinking we're well. "I've been clean and sober for close to a decade. I've got this." I have seen so many people who had between 5 and 15 years sobriety go back out. I appreciate the reminder that I am free, but not because of anything I have done. God set me free. God keeps me free. If I return to running the show, go my own way, do my own thing, and try to by my own god again, I will also find myself in serious danger of returning to the man I was before. I certainly don't want that.

Yes, I am grateful for the reminder. I don't want to be like Dalyn. I pray that you don't want to be like Dalyn either. On my own, who I am is a mess, with or without relapse. Your issue may not be alcohol or drugs or any or my issues, but those of us who have been set free or only on reprieve until we get to the other side of life. Let us not begin to take back control and think we are well or that we should be proud of who we are. Let us instead draw near to Daddy, surrender to the transformative work of the Spirit and become like Jesus. We can trust who we are in Christ in a way that we can never trust ourselves. Love God. Love others. Walk in the power of the Spirit and remain free.


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