During the days of King Saul, the Israelites sang a song that got Saul’s goat: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Every time that song played on Spotify, it provoked a spirit of jealousy within Saul. “They credit David with tens of thousands and me with only…
“Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined” (Daniel 11:35). Your stumbling ways never catch God off guard. In fact, he will use them – every time. The Hebrew word used for “refined,” in our verse, means to complete or perfect. God will make you better, stronger, healthier, and more sober…
We don’t ask enough questions. We prefer to give answers instead. But it hasn’t always been that way. As children, we ask 125 questions a day. By adulthood, that number dwindles to six. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose 119 questions per day. That’s too bad because you can learn something from everyone you…
“Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be.” – Adapted from Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, William Meister’s Apprenticeship Everyone you know has fallen short. In fact, you probably know someone who…
Paul and Barbabas set out on their first missionary journey. Then we read this: “They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul…
Do you remember Wimpy, a character from the popular Popeye cartoon? Wimpy always wanted a hamburger. In one cartoon, he said, “I’ll gladly pay you for a hamburger tomorrow if I can have it today.” That is the voice of an addict. We want deferred payment. “I’ll take a little pleasure today, as long as…
“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:6). When you watch a championship football team, you might say, “Boy, they won that game today!” But they didn’t. They won the game in the days leading up…
William Gladstone said, “Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race.” Consider yourself cursed. I’d say addicts are selfish, but I’d be repeating myself. We are the definition of selfishness. I have a friend who has been sober for over 20 years. I observed as a newcomer to recovery asked him, “Why do you…
“The Lord did not hesitate to bring disaster on us” (Daniel 9:14). I’m guessing that is not your favorite memory verse, one you stick on the mirror at home. But it’s true. God will not hesitate to bring disaster – for a greater purpose. One of my Recovery Rules: God loves you more than he…
We all have something to overcome. That’s why the Bible commands, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). Karyn Hall is the author of The Emotionally Sensitive Person. In writing about…