Growing in Christ While Helping Others Participant's Guide 4

A Recovery Program Based on Eight Principles from the Beatitudes

John Baker

• Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN:
  9780310131458
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Mental Health & Wellbeing

The Celebrate Recovery Participant's Guides are essential tools for the personal recovery journey. In the seven lessons in Guide 4: Growing in Christ While Helping Others, you will work through the final two principles on the road to recovery. More than just maintenance, these principles will help you prevent relapse and give you the necessary tools to help others in their recovery process.

7  Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination. Bible reading and prayer in order to know God and his will for my life and to gain the power to follow his will.

8  Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words. "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires" (Matthew 5:10).

By working through the lessons and exercises found in each of the four Participant's Guides you will begin to experience the true peace and serenity you have been seeking, restore and develop stronger relationships with others and with God, and find freedom from life's hurts, hang-ups, and habits. All the scriptures have been updated to the new NIV 2011 version.

Lesson 21

RELAPSE

Principle 7: Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Step 11: We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.” (Colossians 3:16)

Think About It

The best ways to prevent relapse can be summarized in the acrostic RELAPSE.

Reserve a daily quiet time

Principle 7 sums it up best: Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and gain the power to follow His will.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38)

Evaluate

Your evaluation needs to include your physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual health. And don’t forget the value of doing a “H-E-A-R-T” check. Are you

Hurting

Exhausted

Angry

Resentful

Tense

Special instructions for this step are found in Romans 12:3 – 17 (TLB): “Be honest in your estimate of yourselves. . . . Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other. . . . Be patient in trouble. . . . Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through.”

Listen to Jesus

We need to take a time-out from the world’s “rat race” long enough to listen to our bodies, our minds, and our souls. We need to slow down enough to hear the Lord’s directions.

“Test everything that is said to be sure it is true, and if it is, then accept it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, TLB)

“Let everyone be sure that he is doing his very best, for then he will have the personal satisfaction of work well done and won’t need to compare himself with someone else.” (Galatians 6:4, TLB)

“Listen to the Lord. Hear what he is telling you.” (Isaiah 1:10, TLB)

Alone and quiet time

Jesus Christ spent time alone with His Father. You need to do the same. Set a daily appointment time to be alone with God. Listen carefully; learn how to hear God!

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Plug into God’s power through prayer

God’s guidance and direction can start when your demands stop! Be specific in your prayer requests; pray about everything, asking for God’s perfect will.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.” (Philippians 4:6, TLB)

Slow down long enough to hear God’s answer

We can become impatient. We want our prayers answered now! We need to remember that our timing can be flawed, while God’s timing is perfect!

“Listen to me. Keep silence and I will teach you wisdom!” (Job 33:33, TLB)

“If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, TLB)

Enjoy your growth

Rejoice and celebrate the small successes along your road to recovery! Always remember you’re on a journey, a journey of several steps. Maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” is like taking spiritual vitamins.

Share your victories — no matter how small — with others in your group. Your growth will give others hope!

“Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16, GNT)

Here are a few final suggestions for preventing relapse:

1. Pray and read your Bible daily. Establish a specific time of day to have your “quiet time.”

2. Make attending your recovery meeting a priority. Stay close to your support team.

3. Spend time with your family (if they are safe). If they are not, spend time with your church family.

4. Get involved in service. Volunteer!

Write About It

1. What are some of the ways (tools) that you have developed in your recovery to prevent relapse?

[Your Response Here]

2. Do a H-E-A-R-T check right now. Are you

Hurting?

[Your Response Here]

Exhausted?

[Your Response Here]

Angry?

[Your Response Here]

Resentful?

[Your Response ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Ebook Instructions
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• The Road to Recovery: Eight Principles Based On the Beatitudes
• Twelve Steps and Their Biblical Comparisons
• Serenity Prayer
• Celebrate Recovery’s Small Group Guidelines
• Lesson 19: Crossroads
• Lesson 20: Daily Inventory
• Lesson 21: Relapse
• Lesson 22: Gratitude
• Lesson 23: Give
• Lesson 24: Yes
• Lesson 25: Seven Reasons We Get Stuck
• Afterword