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christian counseling today
VOL. 22 NO. 1
65
“My God, My God, Why Have You
Forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). In
the midst of Jesus’ ultimate trauma, He
longs for intimate, spiritual connection
with the Father that was built through
much time in prayer in private places,
like the Garden of Gethsemane before
Calvary. Recovery requires incorpo-
rating daily alone time to cultivate a
tangible and transforming intimacy
with God. Sobriety is the event when
someone stops using. However, recovery
is a developmental process that occurs
over time.
“I am thirsty” (John 19:28).
Jesus owned His physical need as
dehydration was setting in. However,
thirst can be physical, social,
psychological or spiritual. If ignored
and not owned, thirst can become a
craving for mood-altering substances
or behaviors. Addiction teaches us how
to ignore and be cruel and abusive to
ourselves. Recovery involves learning
how to be kind and honest with
ourselves.
“It is finished!” (John 19:30). To
finish something suggests there was an
intentional plan to complete, a calling
to fulfill, and a challenge to meet. It
is usually a transcendent purpose that
often involves loving service to others
and is found through daily spiritual
disciplines and interaction with godly
mentors.
“Father, Into Your Hands I Com-
mit My Spirit” (Luke 23:46). Recovery
involves trusting the safety and char-
acter of God… independent of people,
places, and apparently defeating cir-
cumstances. For God’s strength is best
demonstrated when we are powerless
and weak—let go and let God (2 Corin-
thians 12:9-10).
Silence. Much of recovery is
embodied in the silence between the
words… the waiting and trusting for
God to intervene in us… doing the next
right thing… being faithful in the little
things that only God may notice. The
words of Good Friday were not the end
of the story, as resurrection Sunday was
coming. However, much of life occurs
during the quiet Saturdays where true
recovery is built and sustained. It is the
faithful silence between the seven last
words.
✠
MICHAEL R. LYLES,
M.D.,
is an AACC Executive
Board Member and is in
private practice with Lyles &
Crawford Clinical Consulting
in Roswell, Georgia.