In response to last week’s question:
What hurt would you like to see discussed?
My longtime friend and school mate, Ren, suggested:
“What about relapse? It’s going around.”
Before getting Ren’s suggestion, I had already been led to write about the recovery principle ~Self-Protection. I was excited to get her suggestion because Relapse and Self-Protection go hand in hand… If we aren’t protecting our self, we will definitely be on the road to a quick relapse!
Long gone are the days when people had the same physician for their entire life. Someone you could trust, who knew your history, had a personal relationship with you and your family, who actually watched out for your health concerns. Gone are the days when we felt safe in our community and country. When we could trust our neighbors; leaving our homes and cars unlocked.
The principles of Self-Protection can be applied across the board to all areas of our life:
- Physical-nutrition & exercise
- Relationships-marriage, friends & family
- Lifestyle-work & recreation
Today if we are to be protected, we pretty much have to do it our self. We must read and research to be aware of potential risks and know what boundaries to put in place for our own protection.
For myself, as a recovering sex addict, it has been critical for the last 5 years to have clearly defined boundaries on the influences in my life: TV, Internet, music, movies, magazines, friends, environment, etc…
With my new health concerns, Insulin Resistance; I must be just as diligent with boundaries to avoid possible temptations.
Let’s look at some specific guidelines that can help us stay protected:
- Be Steadfast in Convictions: Know and understand why.
- Seek Good Counsel: Bible, minister, counselor, doctor.
- Share with a Friend: Get accountability partner.
- Create New Habits: Remove old patterns.
- Do The Next Right Thing: Be wise; stay on track.
- Stay Rested: Be good to your body.
There’s a familiar recovery acronym: H.A.L.T. that reminds us times of temptation come when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. I’ve taken the liberty to build on this and add a spiritual aspect to further our protection.
H. A. L. T. E. D.
When:
Hungry — physical desires of any kind take over.
Angry — annoyed with life’s frustrations
Lonely — lonesome and fearful
Tired — troubled and depressed
I will:
Exercise — calming prayer.
Do — good and expect a reward.
In order to become everything God has created us to be; we must have a deep resolve. We must look for God’s escape out of each temptation and run for it. We serve a faithful God who is always beside us, working for our good and leading us in paths of victory and strength.
We can overcome any obstacle, any challenge, any temptation in Jesus’ name!
If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall… remember the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.
~1 Corinthians 10:12-13 New Living Translation
