DRUNKENNESS: Part 2 - NOT JUST A CURE, BUT A VICTORY! -- devotional for May 13, from "Good Seeds"

(NOTE TO READER: This part 2 reflects a revision of part 1 with some additional thoughts. Please see the entry for May 12 the get the whole picture)

Do not be drunk with wine, for that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. (Ephesians 5:18)

The Psalmist sang these beautiful lyrics to His Lord: “l lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord” (Ps 121:1-2). What, exactly, is the source of help for anyone in trouble, including an alcoholic? If he looks to the hills, letting them represent the entire created order – whether it be the alignment of the stars, the development of medicinal cures, or the involvement of other human beings – he finds himself no closer to the craved restoration of his emotional and spiritual health than before. Why? Because the cure is not to be found in the creation, but in its Creator: “My help cometh from the Lord.” And so, the FOURTH thing any alcoholic must know is that God is his only hope. Many sufferers do realize this, but when they turn to the Lord for help they put Him in a box, telling Him exactly what they expect from Him: “What I want and need, O God, is a miracle!” When they do this it escapes their notice that miracles occur only occasionally in the Bible, and even more rarely in history since. Defined as an act of God defying the laws of nature, we observe that God has practiced extreme restraint in the granting of miracles for the sake of His suffering ones throughout the course of history. In fact, I would imagine that for every single miracle performed by God, ten thousand cries for one have gone up. And so, a FIFTH bit of advice to the alcoholic seeking relief and restoration would be: Don’t beg God to instantly and miraculously take away your cravings. It’s not that He couldn’t, or wouldn’t, but to insist on a miracle is not unlike a baby demanding to have its needs met without any personal investment in return. It’s okay for a baby to do that, but more is expected of an adult, and for good reason. A baby learns nothing from having its needs met automatically and unconditionally – this is simply what is necessary if it is even going to survive and pass into the stage when he can take part in his own nourishment and healing. If God just zapped an alcoholic’s cravings and instantly healed him of his addiction (as wonderful as that would be!) that man would come out healthy again, like a brand new baby, but not whole, like a man who had fought the enemy and won. Realize this: God doesn’t just want to give you a cure, He wants to give you a victory! When you team with God, knowing when to do what He directs and empowers you to do, and when to step aside to let Him do for and in you what only He can do, that is victory indeed!