Alexia used to have hairstyle phases. One such phase was the two ponytails with a gold Alice band. The ponytails were completely skew, the Alice band was sitting on her forehead but it looked perfect..to her! If I tried to help in any way, her reply was a very angry,”I do it self”! This was the standard answer to almost anything she was offered help with. From the moment she could talk,  she used this expression! Alexia is now almost 21 and although she doesn’t  quite say ” I do it self”!, she is still “doing it self”!

It’s not a bad thing to be independent, to be able and capable to do things for ourselves and to be competent to handle situations using our own resources. In fact, this has served my daughter well living on her own so far away from home.

The problem comes in when we believe that on our own and through our own strength , we can do all things. The Bible teaches us that through CHRIST we can do all things. It doesn’t say “through positive thinking or willpower” I can do all things!

I have a friend who is battling a terrible addiction and has tried several times to overcome it. The excuses are the classic ones.

“I can go without, I just don’t really want to “

” I am a nicer person when I’m drunk”,

“I’m stressed and it relaxes me”,

“I only drink because I have it in the house”  ,

‘I’m lonely and its company”.

I’m sure you’ve all heard each excuse an addict gives themselves to account for their addiction. Perhaps you have even used a few yourself.  I know I have when cigarettes were my thing!

The problem with trying to “do it self” is that we more than likely just cannot. When a stressful situation arises, we need our crutch, our best friend and lifelong companion, our addiction.

Addiction isn’t just substance abuse. Addiction to approval is one that many people battle with. A lot of addictions are admired by the world. Take the addiction of exercise, dieting (nothing tastes as good as skinny looks), and the addiction to work.

If an activity is consuming you even when you’re not actively doing it, red lights should be flashing!

Here is the good news… Each day is DAY ONE with God! He doesn’t look at your messed up yesterday , declare you to be a lost cause and move on. If you can imagine a pure white carpet before you every morning when you put your feet on the floor, that is what DAY ONE looks like. A fresh and new day to begin from scratch. We have the choice daily to wear muddy boots on the carpet or to walk in clean socks. Looking back at the end of each day we can see what the condition of our carpet looks like. The next morning, however, it looks like the carpet cleaning fairies came and delivered a clean beautiful white rug all over again. Sometimes there are patches of beige on the carpet as a reminder of the hurt we have caused ourselves. This isn’t really a bad thing as its often the memories of yesterday that motivate our tomorrow!

An addiction that we try to overcome in our own strength is like being released from prison but leaving the prison door open for when we feel like visiting. You cannot visit without feeling that familiarity to your old area of captivity! We think that if we go sit in the cell for a while and leave when we want to its all going to be ok.

It’s not!

Sooner or later that door will slam shut with you inside of it and you will be back in captivity.  The handcuffs will be your reminder that you should have looked at the ugly pictures on the walls of the cell and run as fast as you could. God alone can shut the door of your prison with you on the outside. Isn’t it maybe time for you to allow Him to do what you can never ever do?  To give you the freedom to fly like an eagle, high and free and ALIVE!

Today is DAY ONE!

He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint!

Isaiah 40: 29-31