Unshackled Moments ~ October 18, 2017 ~ Beyond The Breaking Dawn

I recently listened to a speaker from Tennessee sharing his experience, strength and hope of nearly two decades of recovery. I enjoyed his talk a lot, but what hit me the most happened in the first few minutes of the hour he spoke. He told of sitting at the dinner table with his wife and daughter and having a moment of grateful reflection. He expressed this feeling by saying, "You know, God and AA changed my life." He continued his story by saying that both his wife and daughter at the same time said, "I hope they're not done."

Now that is funny, and I don't know if it really happened that way or if he is just expressing a truth through exaggeration. Speakers do that. The thoughts and feelings are true and the tale is a mash up up true events, but that exact sequence never quite happened. Maybe this is one of them, or maybe his wife and daughter actually popped off the quip quickly and together. It doesn't matter though, because what makes it funny and provides the impact is understanding the truth behind the story. That truth resonated with me, because I feel the same way, and I suspect that my wife and parents and all the others who are grateful that my life has changed so much for the better and that I am not the man I used to be are also hopeful that the progress does not stop where I am currently at.

I hope that God isn't finished with me yet. When I say hope, I mean it in the spiritual way. Not as in I am grasping at wishes. I don't wish that God will continue. I have a sure expectation, a hope, that progress will continue to be made. I have a come a long way. The difference between who I used to be and how I used to live and who I am today and how I live today seem like the difference between noon and night. But the truth is more like the difference between night and dawn. Dawn seems bright because  the night is so dark. It is a huge difference. That moment when you come to the realization that you no longer need the headlights while driving down the road because no there is enough light to travel by is awesome and huge. But at the same time, I can't remember ever being up at that moment and needing sun glasses as dawn broke. Now, shortly after, if I were driving east into the rising sun, I might need them. But the light changes before the sun is visible.

Dawn is much brighter than night, but it's not nearly as bright as high noon. And though I am far from who I used to be, I am also far from the man I know God has called me to be and is molding me into. I can get caught up in pride at the progress that has been made and become comfortable and complacent, slowing that same progress. I can also become discouraged that it's not noon yet and weaken the joy of the dawn. Or I can rejoice the joy has come with the morning, ending the weeping of the night, and yet fix my eyes on the Son, embracing the journey before me that is still far from over, and continue on, knowing the Son will continue to rise higher and brighter, will have His way, and will complete the work that has begun. By responding in the latter manner, nothing in me will create clouds that hinder the light shining in the day of my life. By staying grateful but moving, I know that life will continue to change for the better and that I will become even more of a light of Daddy's love, grace and power to those who are still trapped in darkness. And those who love me will have hope, true hope that doesn't fail rather than wishful thinking, that the spiritual progress and recovery will continue.

The breaking dawn and growing brightness of the Son rising higher in the sky of life is not remotely unique with me. Your miserable, fearful, weeping night can end as well. Joy and a life worth living, free from the terror and the bondage of the dark is as freely available as the dawn. Daddy loves you and wants to light up your world. It's more than the miraculous gift of no longer being a slave to drink or drug or whatever has you chained. It's more than just fumbling in the dark trying find direction and purpose. It is a bright life worth living unhindered by the night that preceded it, that gets better and better, more filled with contentment, peace, joy and love as the Son is lifted higher and higher in our sky. It keeps getting better, long after the breaking dawn.

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