That Moment

I was filming recovery testimonies for our upcoming Easter service
today. I hear a lot of amazing stories throughout a year. But this
was different. We are filming what will be presented as a 5-7 minute
testimony. So I was able to get the big picture fast so-to-speak. It
occurred to me that we are all so much alike.

Negative stuff happens in our past. We all handle it different - but
not really. It affects us and then we affect others negatively as a
result. This continues on until we die as we carry bitterness, anger
and guilt.

UNLESS.

Unless God turns our vision from outward to inward. Basically,
circumstances come about that cause us to forget and remember. Forget
all of the reasons for which we have blamed our pathetic lives and
circumstances. Forget all of the excuses that we have clung to for
years. Then we remember. Remember that God exists and can restore us
to sanity.

Some come to Celebrate Recovery and get set free. Some don't. There
is no difference from the outside looking in. We all have great
denial coming in. We all have that hurting from our past. Then there
is that critical time somewhere in the future when the pressure is
less. The pain is less. Some codependent person is letting us off
easy again. Then, right then, is when we find out if we are going to
make it this time. We choose to go on. we choose to actually be
proactive. We choose to be concerned about ourselves and others. We
want to be pleasing in God's sight.

We are all so similar in how we got here. But we are drastically
different in or outcomes.