July 15,2012





Accepting life on life’s terms is a difficult thing to do. Oh, it’s easy to accept life as it happens
when everything is going your way. But it’s a whole different ballgame when life takes a turn you hadn’t counted on and that you would not have voted for, if you had been given the choice. It’s much harder to accept life circumstances when they are unpleasant ones.

In our active addiction, so many of us turned to the drink or other drug, compulsively,looking for relief from terribly difficult circumstances. We couldn’t bear up under this trouble, we told ourselves, so we got drunk, or high, trying
to obliterate the pain. It didn’t take long for us to get very out of control with our use, and then came even more troubles because of our addictive behaviors. We search for answers, we demand to know why something happened the way it did, we demand that God fix it - and quickly! And when nothing seems to change, we sink deeper into the alcohol or drug nightmare.

I do believe that God understands our pain. I believe He knows what it is like to suffer like we do sometimes, for troubles that we didn’t even cause. When his Son Jesus hung on that Cross, dying for our sins so that our debt was paid, I believe God felt all the things we feel – outrage,
hurt, brokenhearted, anger…… he gave up his Son for us – his only Son- so that we could have eternity with him in heaven forever. Because he loves us that much. And many people on that day, as it is true today, didn't even appreciate it or care.  And as for pain, can you imagine that pain Jesus was experiencing, as He hung on that miserable Cross, dying for us all? But I am so grateful that He did go thru with it. He paid for my sins – and yours – and we can have victory over death and Satan because of that.

Jesus promised us that if we put our faith in Him,
He will always be with us, and will never leave us. That means He will always be here for us when we need Him, and will see us through life’s good times and horrible times. We don’t need to turn to alcohol or other drugs any longer, because we have Someone better - and His promise is not fake or short-lived, like the high of alcohol or other drugs. Jesus’ promise that He loves us and will never leave us is permanent.

If you are going thru a trial or a terrible tragedy, don’t turn to the empty promise of alcohol , or the lie of a drug high. Turn to Jesus – ask Him to help you through this tough time. Ask Him to send you people who know how to help you and support you through this. Accepting something doesn’t mean you have to like what’s happening, but it does mean that you quit running from it and you deal with it - sober, clean, and with the help of caring people who know how to help you.

You are so loved. I am praying for you.

See you next week!



Love, Pastor Judy