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| From Psalms |
Psalm 35
(Of David.)
1Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me:
fight against them that fight against me.
2Take hold of shield and buckler,
and stand up for mine help.
3Draw out also the spear,
and stop the way against them that persecute me:
say unto my soul,
I am thy salvation.
4Let them be confounded and put to shame
that seek after my soul:
let them be turned back and brought to confusion
that devise my hurt.
5Let them be as chaff before the wind:
and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6Let their way be dark and slippery:
and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit,
which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8Let destruction come upon him at unawares;
and let his net that he hath hid catch himself:
into that very destruction let him fall.
9And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD:
it shall rejoice in his salvation.
10All my bones shall say,
LORD, who is like unto thee,
which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him,
yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11False witnesses did rise up;
they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12They rewarded me evil for good
to the spoiling of my soul.
13But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth:
I humbled my soul with fasting;
and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.
14I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:
I bowed down heavily,
as one that mourneth for his mother.
15But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together:
yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me,
and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:
16With hypocritical mockers in feasts,
they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17Lord, how long wilt thou look on?
rescue my soul from their destructions,
my darling from the lions.
18I will give thee thanks in the great congregation:
I will praise thee among much people.
19Let not them that are mine enemies
wrongfully rejoice over me:
neither let them wink with the eye
that hate me without a cause.
There are times, days, weeks, sometimes months, when things seem to work against us. And we wonder how long it will go on (verse 17). We have to ask, "What am I supposed learn from all this?" Otherwise why would this be part of God's plan for me. In these times it feels like our prayers come back to us (unanswered) instead of falling on the ear of the Lord (verse 13).
There are two aspects or types of answers to these questions, that I have come to believe over the past 9 months, or so, while working the 12 steps. The first aspect is that we need a certain level of distress and trouble in our lives to give us perspective, to learn from, to become stronger, to become wiser, or simply to become more faithful in God.
The second type of answer is related to a bigger picture in life. Sometimes God's plan includes putting us through hardship so that we can be in the right place at the right time to fulfill our purpose - and believe me, you do have a purpose. For example, Joseph, kidnapped by his own brothers and sold as a slave to Egyptians. As rocky as my marriage and career got during my addiction I would have to say it was nothing as bad as what we refer to today as human trafficking. However, God's plan didn't end there for Joseph. As we know, Joseph becomes prime minister and is in a unique position to save his family during a grave famine. So, when we look at the whole story, the big picture, everything happened to Joseph, happened for good.
The "moral"? God's will is for good, in one of a couple of ways. Sometimes things tend to get worse before they get better. During those times we need to trust in the Lord, and trust that everything that happens, happens for good. Either helps us to grow or helps to place us in a better situation. The lessons during recovery need to help us believe in that truth. That truth is hopeful - that hope helps us manage our lives through good times and bad - that is recovery. So, that we know we have God in those times - and don't need our addictions.
Thanks for letting me share.
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