Celebrate Recovery uses the Serenity Prayer each time one meets. There is a powerful line in this prayer that I’ve always appreciated but only had limited understanding of it. This line is, “…one day at a time, one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace.” Sobriety in anything: breaking a habit, changing what I believe, starting a new healthy habit, stopping an unhealthy behavior: i.e., swearing, being negative, etc.), and the list goes on. In all or any of these, we will only find success if we take them one day at a time, one moment at a time, as the prayer states. This much I’ve always understood.

What God is awakening in me of late is the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT within me. Whether I’m addressing a change of behavior, a habit or a belief (lie) that needs changing, the work I can do with it can only take place in the present because that is where I am today. Tying to this is the truth that God calls Himself The Great I AM. Since God is SPIRIT and I have the Holy Spirit within me, He works in me today. Tomorrow He will work in me when tomorrow is now today. This is so simple, but I’ve never seen it as simple. My “wants” have been to obliterate my bad habits. My pride has always wanted to not have to admit I’ve struggled with pornography, been sexually used by a gay brother, etc. I just wanted to be a nice, productive man who is happily married and has wonderful children and grandchildren.

God is patiently and kindly awakening in me the disgusting side of flesh when it comes to what I’m writing about. My reliance on Him is understanding and cooperating with Him and His Spirit within me. I can “do all things in Christ” if I understand the simple truth that I take it one day at a time! It has taken me a lot of years to come to this understanding, but now that I’m here–I want to stay and live this out the rest of my earthly life.