Elizabeth Walker, Public Relations Manager
I used to joke, back when I was in active addiction, that the worst part of drug addiction would be ending up “religious.” It was my way of laughing off something I didn’t understand, maybe even feared. But looking back, I realize that what I was really doing was trying to keep God at arm’s length.
The truth is, many of us in recovery do find a renewed sense of spirituality. And I don’t think that’s a coincidence. When you’ve walked as closely as we have with death and despair, when you’ve known what it is to be empty and aching inside, something shifts when you begin to heal. As your body grows stronger and your mind begins to clear, your soul starts reaching upward, searching for the One who can fill the space addiction could never touch.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7,
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
That’s what recovery feels like to me. The work I do matters. The support of others matters. But in the end, it’s God who makes the real growth happen.
Rumi once wrote, “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” Those of us recovering from addiction and alcoholism are full of wounds. We carry scars from our choices, our pain, and our past. But those very wounds are often the cracks that allow God’s light to break through.
In my last post, I shared about rediscovering who I was always meant to be: the person God created me to be from the very beginning. That rediscovery was a direct result of my spiritual awakening.
Deepak Chopra said, “Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.” That’s exactly what this journey has been for me. I didn’t become a different person. I didn’t “get religious” in the way I once feared. Instead, I found freedom in letting go of the false layers I had built to survive, and in doing so, I awakened to the person I was created to be all along.
A Prayer for Awakening
God, thank You for meeting me in my wounds and using them as the very place where Your light can enter. Help me to continue discarding the false identities I’ve carried and awaken me each day to who I truly am in You. Amen.
Are you ready to begin your own awakening?
At Isaiah House, we believe recovery isn’t just about breaking free from addiction. It’s about discovering the life you were created to live. Call us today at 859-375-9200. Healing, hope, and transformation are possible for you, too.