A Shiny New Pot, Inside and Out. Who Washes the Dishes?

Can you imagine for a moment, taking your 3 year old into the kitchen sink to wash the dinner meals utensils and pans from last nights barbeque? You step back and watch as he takes the sponge and does a quick wipe around the outer edge of the pot that was full of baked beans that simmered for an hour and now has the bean sauce crusted all around it. Never taking into account the filth, that remains stuck inside, he rinses the outside with a quick burst of cold water and places it in the drying rack.

Surely you wouldn't grab this same pot and cook today's dinner in it without doing a deeper clean when your child isn't looking. Sadly, our world of recovery often is doing the same thing to the lost and downtrodden of society. We rinse them off, tell them they are healed, and send them into the world to tell of our success; only to turn on the local newsfeed and see one of our fellow recovery members have relapsed into their addiction and did some repulsive act that will likely see them incarcerated for the next ten years. Or worse, they died without ever knowing what true healing meant.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." (Matthew 23:25)

Sanctifying the Vessel...

Lets take a moment to discuss what leads us into a genuine heart change? Is this something that we can achieve by our own effort? What does the bible tell us regarding changing in our own power?

A deeper cleaning of our vessel begins as we get into Celebrate Recovery's Principle 4. When we take time out for self-examination, the rough scrubbing process is initiated, addressing our inner thoughts, beliefs, and unresolved emotions. Examining self-powered change, we see what appears as scrubbing the outside of the pot. As we are beginning to understand our walk in the recovery field with Christ as our Higher Power, we begin to realize our need for reliance on God's transformative power. We are assured that it is God who began a good work in us and will carry it on to completion in Philippians 1:6. We are further enlightened by Jeremiah 13:23, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard it's spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil."

So we are given the hard truth from the Bible in God's own words. Nothing we can do will give us the power to change of our own willpower. God is THE miracle worker though. If we are willing to bring our contrite hearts before our Creator, He will indeed ignite us with the fire we need to be born into a new life. Our affirmation here is evidenced in 2 Corinthians 5:17, which proclaims that in Christ, one becomes a new creation.

Ultimately, as we are taught in Ephesians 2:8-9, our salvation and transformation are by grace through faith, not works. True change arises from surrendering to God's Spirit rather than relying on our own limited abilities. Thank you Jesus, because I don't know about you, but I have been made abundantly aware of this throughout my life.

Of course, in our day and age, God's voice is not audible as some would have you to believe. To hear the voice of God requires effort. There are several ways to hear God's voice, and for the sake of staying on track, I won't go deep into this topic today. I will tell you, the Bible is the first place to find Him. The circle of believers around you are another way God can use to speak to you indirectly. Listen and you shall hear, seek and you will find. Sometimes we need to do as Jesus taught us, and withdraw to a quiet place as in Mark 1:35. It is there we can reflect and pray without distractions, opening our hearts while creating the space to listen for and discern God's voice.

Now that we have begun to understand some of the steps required to prepare our hearts to begin cleaning out the inner vessel, we can begin what is in our power. In Celebrate Recovery, using Step 4 our program, we begin making our moral inventory. Our true spiritual health is dependent on our complete honesty and openness. It will be through this step, that God will speak to us in abundant clarity. As we identify the negative patterns of our past, the toxic behaviors we once displayed, and any unhelpful attitudes we had developed, God begins to free us from the cycles of guilt and self-doubt we once experienced.

As we begin to allow Jesus to gently remove the weight from our shoulders, we begin to not only understand forgiveness; but to actually embrace it. The amazing power of forgiveness-- both giving and receiving-- is possibly the greatest miracle we can witness in our earthly lives. Having witnessed genuine forgiveness is what will lead us into restoring our inner peace.

After working through our initial step four inventory list we will begin to heal from all of the things in our past that broke us into whatever our messy lives had become that led us into recovery. We cannot stop there though. If we get healed of our past but do not remain vigilant in our present, the filth will return to contaminate the vessel once more. We are taught in 2 Peter 2:20,24) "A dog returns to it's own vomit" and "a sow after washing returns to wallowing in the mud. We are these creatures Jesus was referring to. Don't fall into denial once more and believe you are different. Step four only begins our heavy lifting while God is doing His rebuilding inside of us.

As we advance through the transformation process in the weeks ahead, we will do plenty of exhaustive work. A lot of healing will be taking place over the next several steps. Scabs will get brushed open and you may bleed again. Continue scrubbing as God leads you forward. What hurts today will not kill you, even if it seems as though it may. Transformation is very seldom instantaneous. I do not mean to be contentious here for those who have had miracle transformations. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD! I say this though to encourage others like myself, who had to make long slow progresses while others may have watched in doubt.

As our recovery begins to gracefully age, many new circumstances develop in life. We must continue to assess our lives daily and continue making amends wherever that is applicable. Humility becomes one of our closest companions if we are truly learning what God is teaching us. Being humbled often isn't necessarily comforting, but God will be far more compassionate with us than ourselves or others. We can find several examples of others in the Bible who once sat at the top of the world and were knocked down multiple notches by the lessons God was teaching them. If you find yourself here, you are in good company. Remember, "For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:6).

Discipline from God shouldn't be something we fear, but something we should covet. This is one way God is expressing love and care to us in this life, intending to guide us towards growth, repentance, and a closer walk with Him. We should find comfort and reassurance in our correction as we begin to understand His nurturing nature. Lets find encouragement viewing our struggles as opportunities to grow and endure our difficulties with faith and trust in His Divine wisdom.

Hopefully by now, you are beginning to see what sanctification truly looks like through this life process of messing up, being messed up, learning to trust God's will, forgiving others. None of us are innocent in this messy fallen world. The good news though, is we do not have to accept the justice we rightfully deserve. Freedom is offered to each one of us no matter how bad we have screwed things up. While there may be some repercussions that last the duration of our lives, healing from our brokenness can be real. Better than that though, is we can spend our eternity free of the pain and sorrows we once knew, wrapped in the loving arms of our Savior.

Understanding Inventory in Celebrate Recovery

In Celebrate Recovery, an inventory involves taking a thorough and honest assessment of one’s life experiences, behaviors, and attitudes. As we reflect on past traumas and regrets and to recognize patterns that led to unhealthy choices we get deeper into the process leading to sanctification. For instance, many individuals recount moments of addiction, broken relationships, or repeated cycles of poor decision-making. This process is not just an exercise in remembrance; it is a vital step towards acknowledging pain and recognizing the need for change.

The purpose of this inventory is transformative. It allows us to confront our shortcomings without fear, paving the way for healing and growth. By reflecting on our life through our inventory, Celebrate Recovery equips us with the tools to begin our journey of genuine rebirth. We can start to see ourselves as worthy of love and acceptance, rather than just a sum of their past mistakes.

Genuine Rebirth for New Believers

For new believers earnestly accepting their faith, genuine rebirth means a significant shift in mindset and lifestyle. This includes:

• Acceptance of Grace: Understanding that salvation is a gift opens the door to a new identity. New believers are encouraged to embrace God’s unconditional love, which gives security and acceptance as you navigate your healing journey.

  
  

• A Renewed Mindset: Genuine rebirth involves transforming thoughts and beliefs about oneself and others. Believers are encouraged to see themselves through the lens of God’s love and purpose, moving away from guilt and self-condemnation.

  
  

• Commitment to Growth: A renewed life calls for a commitment to spiritual growth. Engaging in faith practices such as prayer, worship, or joining a support group nurtures spiritual maturity, leading to a deeper relationship with God.

  
  

• Living Out the Faith: As transformation occurs from within, new believers naturally begin to exhibit behavioral changes, stronger relationships, and evolving priorities. This demonstration of faith should arise from genuine intentions, not obligatory actions.

Embracing the Journey of Transformation

The road to transformation is a unique and deeply personal experience. By reflecting on our inventory in Celebrate Recovery, we can see that lasting change occurs from the inside out. New believers must remember that change doesn’t happen overnight; it is a continual process of growth, learning, and accepting grace.

As we navigate our sanctification, we focus on cleansing our hearts and minds, creating genuine rebirth fueled by faith and love. Ultimately, we will embody the change we wish to see in our lives.

By engaging in our process of sanctification together, we will build a community of encouragement, empowerment, and genuine change where we can all begin to thrive.