[EyesWideOpen33]

"The Twelve Step Life Recovery Devotional" (Arterburn/Stoop)

Step One, Day 6

We admitted that we were powerless over our dependencies--that our lives had become unmanageable.

Some of us have seen everything we have produced in life go up in smoke because of our addictions. If it hasn't happened to us, surely we've seen others who have lost all that they have worked for: home, career, family, health, finances, and friendships. During the times when life becomes unmanageable, we are faced wit the fact that we are not self-sufficient. Sometimes our losses (or even potential losses) can act to spur us on toward taking the first step on the road to recovery.

All of us have times of weakness; none of us are self-sufficient. Jesus recognized this when he said, "Yes, I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can't do a thing. If anyone separates from me, he is thrown away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others, and burned" (John 15:5-6).

Some of us have already lost many of the good things our lives produced. For us it is a matter of facing the losses, admitting that we can't make it on our own, and string to grow again. For others of us, things may still look rewarding, but if we don't deal honestly wit the effects of our addictions we risk seeing the fruits of our lives burned up. It's hard to give up our pride and admit that on our own we "can't do a thing." Perhaps, by considering the possible losses and the value of our previous investments, we will be able to "hit bottom" before we lose everything.
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Apart from God, our efforts cannot bear fruit.