“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Most of us would boldly proclaim our faith in God. We would never question him with our words. But our behaviors betray us. We tell a friend, “I will pray for you,” but we never do. Or we pray as a last resort, but seldom as a first resort.
Why is this? Perhaps the problem is that we believe God has an interest in the affairs of the world, but not in us personally. He cares whether Russia bombs Ukraine, but he doesn’t care if we bomb our next exam.
Henri Nouwen was direct with his words: “We doubt whether God really has a personal interest in us.”
Recovery Step: God doesn’t want the world to be sober. He wants you to be sober. His interest in mankind is personal. Very personal.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.