Last night I taught the lesson for our Celebrate Recovery group. It was lesson 20–Daily Inventory. The lesson focuses on the importance of daily journaling to identify the “good of the day” and the “bad of the day”. It allows one to make amends quickly for the wrongs done and it also allows one to see patterns of behaviors we miss when we don’t take the time of identify them. We begin to see the real “me” that others see and we have been blind to. This all ties to Principle 7 and Step 10 of the recovery guidelines. Principle 7 reads: “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.”

As I was teaching the lesson I was just emphasizing the importance of the third benefit–“gain the power to follow His will”. It has taken me a very long time to grasp the truth of this statement. I have tried for most of my life to overcome my obstacles on my own strength thinking God would make me stronger rather than learning to surrender all of my efforts and become “helpless” so God would be seen and known by me as my strength. HIs Holy Spirit has been within me waiting for me to access Him.

This morning’s devotional read in part: “All that I am is inside of you. My power is not diminished because it has found a home in a temple of flesh. I am vast enough to fill all of creation, yet wise enough to fit my Spirit within vessels of humanity. Never limit the greatness of my glory within you. My strength is not limited by the weakness of its surroundings….” God is truly wanting to awaken in me (each of us) the truth in this promise. His Power (Holy Spirit) is within us waiting for us to realize how much He wants to use us for His Glory purposes.