"progress, not perfection"

Wednesday, January 16, 2018 (7:27 a.m.)

Holy God,

You are so good. Thank You so much.

A large part of the night was spent in conversation with You. And most of that had to do with progress. Not perfection!

Mm, yes. I got to read about lapses and relapses yesterday. Truth in recovery. Life changes. Hope. Different ways of approaching circumstances. Yea You, God! Thank You.

I come to You. Exactly as I am. You provide Your unchanging Truth. And truly, I rejoice!

Taking right now for instance. I searched “progress” and found 2 John (1:8-9). Turning quickly I read of “Encouragement and Advice” (Illustrated Bible Handbook). And The Importance of Boundaries, as well as The Challenge to Love (The Life Recovery Bible).

(9:00 a.m.)

We get to choose Father! Hope. Joy. Love. Faith. Forgiveness. Or all the alternatives to these positives.

Praise You Father. Thank You. So often I forget the importance of “carefully set[ting] limits on whom we listen to if we are to protect ourself in recovery and in our spiritual growth.” Amen, Father!

Your Word provides us every single thing we need in learning to love one another as You would have us. Here again, we get to choose “the most basic act of obedience” to You! “Loving others will not only please God, but it will go a long way toward healing our relationships.”

While we’re never going to be able to do it all perfectly, we can and do make progress as we stay close to You and Your Word.

Thank You Father. Thank You for Your Truth. Your promises. And here I pray the apostle John’s words right back to You. “May grace, mercy, and peace, which comes from God our Father and from Jesus Christ His Son, be with us who live in truth and love” (2 John 1:3).

Yes, Father. Let me live this day in Your Truth and love. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(331 words ~ 9:45 a.m.)