Psalm 142: Bring my soul out of prison

Psalm 142
(A maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A prayer.)

¹I cried unto the LORD with my voice;
      with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
²I poured out my complaint before him;
      I shewed before him my trouble.

³When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,
      then thou knewest my path.
In the way wherein I walked
      have they privily laid a snare for me.
⁴I looked on my right hand, and beheld,
      but there was no man that would know me:
refuge failed me;
      no man cared for my soul.

⁵I cried unto thee, O LORD:
      I said, Thou art my refuge
      and my portion in the land of the living.

⁶Attend unto my cry;
      for I am brought very low:
deliver me from my persecutors;
      for they are stronger than I.
⁷Bring my soul out of prison,
      that I may praise thy name:
the righteous shall compass me about;
      for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

OK, I've never been hiding out in a cave the way David has, but I do know what it feels to have "my spirit was overwhelmed within me."  I also know what it feels like to be trapped in situation, to feel like my soul is in a prison.  Both during my days addiction and in my days of recovery.  Make no mistake that these situations don't go away in recovery.  The difference is in my response to these situations.  Rather than responding by ignoring the problems and drowning myself in alcohol, or turning to strip bars and porn, I rely on my faith.  I now realize that my problems are not so unique.  That I am not the only man who sometimes disagrees with his wife.  That I am not the only person who has had a horrible boss.  So, now I ask people for help.  I tell people what I honestly feel - not what I think they want to hear.  This has given me incredible freedom.  For this incredible freedom, I have God to thank.

Dear Lord, thank you for your support and courage.  Continue to guide me when I feel lost.  Hold me up when I am tired - seemingly too tied to even pray.  Help me be a light for others who face similar struggles with addiction.  Lead me not into temptation and continue to deliver me from the prison of addiction.  As you know this struggle is one I (and all addicts) face on a daily basis.  Just as you there with me, be there for others who seek a road of recovery.  Bring people into their lives that can guide them and give them hope.  For those who love addicts, also give them hope and free them from their prisons.  For their spirits' overwhelm them, too.  For addicts are a handful, alcoholics tend to hurt and abuse the ones they love the most.  Indeed you know their paths, and few people are there for them.  Be there for them and they will praise your name.  It is in your son Jesus Christ's name that I pray these things - AMEN.

Thanks for letting me share.