One of the men on the recovery program recently stepped into my office and spoke my name. When I turned around to face him, I immediately saw that he was crying. He said, "You've got to help me. I can't do this."
This is his third time to try the program. He never got very far into the program the previous two times before he succumbed to his temptation to alcohol and drugs. Oftentimes, the temptation came from various members of his family, and old friends. It took a lot of despair and courage for this man to get up and try again.
But this time, he has been doing so much better in believing God can help him experience a changed life. He's been so much more open this time to receiving help from his case manager, counselor and teachers. With the help of the Learning Center Supervisor and volunteers, he is doing much better with his academics, increasing in his ability to read and comprehend at levels he's never before achieved. He's tasting a changed life and beginning to grow in the belief it can truly happen for him! Whereas he used to walk around in life, not believing that change can be in his future, he is believing it now. He's laughing more and smiling. It's such a delight to see the transformation!
It was this man, who was in my office crying and saying, "You've got to help me. I can't do this!" He found himself in a situation where he was being tempted with tobacco and marijuana. He made it priority to find a staff member to get the support he needed . . . "When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (1 Cor. 10:13). He humbled himself, acknowledging to himself and another safe person that he needed help, and that's where he found grace. "God gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). His case manager was brought in to assist and we told him how proud we were of him for what not being afraid to ask for help. We walked him through his response to the temptation. It was amazingly wonderful to see God's Spirit bringing him hope, confidence and peace where there has been despair, darkness and bondage! God wins!
This is his third time to try the program. He never got very far into the program the previous two times before he succumbed to his temptation to alcohol and drugs. Oftentimes, the temptation came from various members of his family, and old friends. It took a lot of despair and courage for this man to get up and try again.
But this time, he has been doing so much better in believing God can help him experience a changed life. He's been so much more open this time to receiving help from his case manager, counselor and teachers. With the help of the Learning Center Supervisor and volunteers, he is doing much better with his academics, increasing in his ability to read and comprehend at levels he's never before achieved. He's tasting a changed life and beginning to grow in the belief it can truly happen for him! Whereas he used to walk around in life, not believing that change can be in his future, he is believing it now. He's laughing more and smiling. It's such a delight to see the transformation!
It was this man, who was in my office crying and saying, "You've got to help me. I can't do this!" He found himself in a situation where he was being tempted with tobacco and marijuana. He made it priority to find a staff member to get the support he needed . . . "When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (1 Cor. 10:13). He humbled himself, acknowledging to himself and another safe person that he needed help, and that's where he found grace. "God gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). His case manager was brought in to assist and we told him how proud we were of him for what not being afraid to ask for help. We walked him through his response to the temptation. It was amazingly wonderful to see God's Spirit bringing him hope, confidence and peace where there has been despair, darkness and bondage! God wins!
(Submitted by Bret Kroh – Asst. Administrator of the Christian Life Program at City Union Mission
