Dear Friends,
If you have ever been involved with those
struggling with addiction, you know the road to recovery can be a series of
successes and failures.
I well remember a testimony I heard several
years ago from a speaker at an addiction ministry that we offered at our
church.
The person shared her story of recovery which
involved one relapse after another. For her it was one start after another,
and each start ended the same-a return to her addictive behavior.
Throughout her many failures, the speaker testified
that there were always people in her life who supported her and encouraged her
on her journey to recovery. They didn't give up on her, and they kept
reminding her that the power of Christ could break the bondage of
her addiction.
Like finding Christ, finding the road to
recovery is not always a onetime event. Recovery can be a lengthy process
that takes place over a period of time.
Seeds that are planted don't sprout up
overnight. You can't rush the process. Each seed has a certain timetable before
its flower is produced. Think about your own life. How many people did God send
into your life before you received Jesus and experienced life change? If
you were lucky, you had people around you who were persistent in loving
and praying for you, and it was their persistence that encouraged you,
especially during those times when you were ready to give up.
Fortunately, our speaker had friends who were
committed to her recovery and who were with her for the long haul. Even when
they failed to see the changes in her life for which they hoped, they
never gave up on her. Because of their patience and persistent love and
their constant and continued encouragement in the face of her many failures,
she now enjoys seven years of sobriety, and like last night, she is now sharing
the story of her faith-based recovery journey to help others find hope.
Often in our efforts to see evangelize
someone saved, we feel we must give them the whole gospel, and when they
don't immediately pray the sinner's prayer, we feel like we have failed, and
are tempted to give up on them. However, if we assume responsibility for the
success of our evangelistic efforts, we assume something that is not ours to
assume.
The same is true for the recovering addict.
They may need to fail a number of times before they experience and embrace the
change in their lives we hope to see. During their recovery process they
need people around them who will continue to love and encourage them as they
seek lasting recovery.
As believers we are called to be witnesses.
Those were our Savior's marching orders. We are reminded in1 Peter 3:15 that we
are “to always be prepared to give an account to everyone who asks us for the
hope that we have within us,” but we are never the ones ultimately responsible
for the person's decision.
Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) has a
wonderful definition for evangelism: "Evangelism is sharing Christ in the
power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results up to God." We are not
the ones responsible for the person's salvation. We may deliver the message,
but it is God who opens the door to a person's heart. When we understand this,
we will never feel a sense of failure, regardless of the person's response to
our message.
Whether you are witnessing to someone about
Christ, or patiently witnessing to them about recovery, we need to be patient
and persistent in offering our love and encouragement. Don't ever give up on
them and continue to let them know that you will always be there for them, even
when they fail to demonstrate the change you desire to see in their life.
Proverbs remind us that "The
righteous falls seven times and rises again" (Prov.24:6), and
it just may be that it is that seventh time that he/she discovers Christ or
experiences recovery.
Whether witnessing to Christ or encouraging
someone on the road to sobriety, patient and persistent love are the keys to
success.
Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom
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