SECRET SOBRIETY!

Sunday’s Monday

Having a 30-year history of alcoholism 25 years ago, my mind automatically rushes to the absence of alcohol when I hear the phrase get sober. This is probably true for many people and seemingly verified by dictionary.com, which describes sober as 1 not intoxicated or drunk: 2 habitually temperate, especially in the use of liquor: 3 quiet or sedate in demeanor, as persons: 4 marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity, etc., as of demeanor, speech, etc.: 5 a sober occasion: subdued in tone, as color; 6 not colorful or showy, as clothes: 7 free from excess, extravagance, or exaggeration: 8 showing self-control: 9 sane or rational. It was years into my sobriety that God gave me the revelation of “under-the-influence. Something the state heavily invested in trying to teach me for 27 years. The definition I’m using today has to do with all of these but in actuality has only one cause, which I’ve titled distraction. The secret society of suffers!

During my research on this subject, I came across this paragraph from 15degreesne.com; “Distraction comes in all forms and from all directions, but the result is the same each time. Distraction takes us off course, it either prevents us from experiencing something God has for us or puts us in the wrong position. Getting back on track from being spiritually distracted isn’t difficult, but usually requires us to get intentional with our time and attention.” I was visiting with my middle sister this week and she was telling us of being so dog-tired that she couldn’t think straight. Bingo! She was under the influence of exhaustion; her mind was so fatigued that it couldn’t function correctly. She was in a highly vulnerable state to accidents and needed a good night’s rest for her body to become sober and defeat the distractions. This is ever so pertinent to our connection with The Holy Spirit which dwells within us. When we get distracted by whatever, our thought process suffers, and our communication skills weaken. This is where we desperately need to shrink back and turn to God for correction and clarity. Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV), 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

For followers of Jesus, it is imperative that we learn to rest, allowing God to refresh our souls to strengthen our relationship with His Holy Spirit. In doing so we will clear our thoughts for the highest level of fellowship with God our Father. This is expressed in Hebrews 4:11 (ESV), Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Distractions forever remain an active part of daily living here on planet earth, after all, it is the sharpest arrow in the quiver of our enemy. Ergo, we are to never be without the full armor of God, as we seek God to disband such distractions. Remember that we alone are not equipped to do battle with the enemy of our soul. As it is written in John 15:5 (ESV), I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Listen to the Holy Spirit when it comes to one’s spiritual well-being and become eager to be forthcoming in such matters that oppress your feeling toward serving God.

No matter the color, smell, pain, or joy of a distraction, if it is pulling you away from God it is of the enemy. Busy has always been a great tool of Satan as he can use busy to slowly ware one down to the point of total burnout (exhaustion) and they fall back into the state of a nonbeliever. This is why it is so important to examine every area of our life and take captive every thought. It is important that we need to find and confess our distractions to God because as it is written in Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV), 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. God already knows and through the Holy Spirit is crying out, I can help you overcome this. He sees what we hide, knows all our secrets, and even knows things we don’t. How cool is that? Ask Him!

My prayer this week is from 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV), 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. God, I know you only desire counsel with us so we can talk about what is important to you and will put our souls at rest. Lord, I ask that you continually remind us in an unmistakable way, that “you love us no matter what!” Nothing can pluck us from your hand nor remove us from your heart. Amen

HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!

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