Advent Recovery Reflection by JV
I can recall some twenty plus years ago feeling empty, hopeless, and nearly surrendered to the idea that I would never find freedom from my sexual sin. It was such a dark period in my life. I would fall repeatedly, repent, promise myself to never do it again, and promptly fall again! This
cycle went on for years. While I appeared on the outside to be a joyful servant of Jesus, I felt despair and lifelessness on the inside!
“Long lay the world in sin and error pining.”
But, thanks be to God, that was not the end of my story!
A brother in the Lord told me about his struggle with sex addiction – a term I had never heard, and that there are recovery groups for those who struggle with this type of addiction.
“Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices.”
From the first meeting I attended, Jesus appeared in a new way – and I felt my worth, and most of all, hope for my weary hopeless soul! I rejoiced as one who had just found a hidden treasure.
“For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”
I truly came to believe that I was going to make it, and that I did not have to live a life of bondage to my addiction. I embraced the fact that working on my recovery was going to be a way of life for me. God, in his mercy, gave birth to a new desire in my heart to go deeper in my relationship with Jesus, be accountable to other men, and cry out to him whenever I felt weary and unable move forward.
“Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!”
I am unable to express the solace and peace that I have found through my years of recovery by falling on my knees and casting my cares upon the Lord! I have learned through my years of recovery that the Lord desires my freedom far more than I do and is always there waiting to break the bands of my sin, soften my heart of bronze, and
remove the bars of iron that have imprisoned me for so long.
My encouragement to anyone struggling with sexual sin this advent season is to remember that Jesus is there for you, and he will never leave or forsake you. Take the first step and seek the Savior born so many years ago. Fall on your knees and cry out to him! Embrace recovery as a new way of life that will be with you until you go on to be with the Lord.
