As much as we wish it weren’t so . . . the absolute truth is . . . you can’t do recovery alone. This addiction thrives on isolation. You NEED people to come alongside you—not to be your warden, but to encourage and support you through the difficult challenges of recovery.
Reaching out is probably the hardest thing anyone will ever ask you to do—but it is absolutely essential to your healing.
The idea of talking to someone about our darkest secrets and greatest fears is terrorizing. Bruce says he remembers those feelings all to well. He used to think that he was a coward because he was so full of fear, but he learned that courageous people have just as many fears as cowards, they just refuse to let it hold them back. They choose to move forward in spite of the fear. The end result is new life, hope and FREEDOM.
No matter where you are today, or what you’ve done—that freedom is available to YOU.
Unfortunately, we can’t control how others will respond to our struggles. Bruce said, when he first began trying to reach out to other people, he already condemned himself more than anyone else possibly could, so he expected that same condemnation from everyone else. And sometimes that IS what he got.
But, just as often, people surprised him. Instead of feeling their revulsion and judgment, he experienced acceptance, empathy and encouragement. These positive encounters gave him the courage to persevere as he moved toward the healing and freedom that had eluded him on his own.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up . . .”— 1 Thessalonians 5:10-12
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