“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” – Psalm 32:3
There are very few activities in life more exhausting than pretending. To routinely wake up, put the mask on, and use all of your precious energy to develop your persona is a silent life of desperation. I like how this author puts it:
“A ‘persona’ is a style of relating, what one refers to as ‘one’s personality,’ which exists for the sole purpose of numbing one’s core terror by relating to God and to others in order to avoid what we most fear and gain what we most want.
It is the relational expression of foolishness that no one can see in oneself without the involvement of loving community [1].” – Dr. Larry Crabb
The loving community that God has given you as the primary place of being known, and simultaneously loved, is your nuclear family. Hide yourself from your family and one of your central change agents is automatically cut off from your life. Let me suggest three ways your family is valuable in your drug rehab efforts for addiction recovery:
#1: Your family can encourage you in your addiction recovery!
The work of alcohol and drug rehab is one that is intensely emotional and exhausting. You will need cheerleaders and encouragers to hold you up. Let your family help you in your addiction recovery by supporting you that way.
#2: Your family can remind you what you want most after drug rehab.
You have made a commitment to rehabilitation because you functionally believe you will be happier and life will have greater meaning and purpose clean and sober than addicted and miserable. Your family can remind me what you want most when you begin to forget.
#3: Your family can keep you on schedule.
Whether it’s reminding you of an AA meeting or asking you about your schedule and commitments, your family brings great value to the fact that they know your world as well as (or better than) you know your world.
You can run and hide from most of the world, but you can’t ever get away from your family.
About the Author:
Ryan Moffat is the teaching pastor at Vast Church in Sisters, OR and is currently working on his Masters in Theology at Western Seminary in Portland, OR
Ryan received his BS in Bible and Theology and a minor in counseling from Multnomah University. He has pastored students, families and is passionate about Christ-centered recovery and healing. He’s been married to his beautiful wife Michelle for 13 years and they enjoy raising four crazy, unique and special kids together.
References:
[1]: http://www.newwayministries.org/
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of addictions. These are not necessarily the views of Addiction Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Addiction Hope understand that addictions result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Published on July 18, 2017.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 18 2017
Published on AddictionHope.com