February 12, 2017

"THE TURNING POINT" - HITTING ROCK BOTTOM

 

"THE TURNING POINT"

Everyone comes to a turning point in their life. That's how we grow, and learn from our experiences - good or bad. If we don't come to these turning points in our lives we won't be faced with the full experience of learning to make good or bad decisions, and there outcomes. Life is full of turning points.
 
But - when it comes to addiction, the turning point can be a difficult one. Easier for some than others, depending on how severe their addiction is. At the same time, coming to that turning point is never easy. 
 
For some, the turning point can it's be as easy as just getting tired of that lifestyle. They need a change in life. So, they make a conscious decision to turn away from whatever their addiction is, and never look back. Don't get me wrong! This type of turning point takes some serious lifestyle changes - the same lifestyle changes that it takes for someone with a severe addiction. 
 
Their addiction is just more of an emotional or psychological addiction. This person may never step into an AA meeting or an NA meeting, even a church support group or anything! They just simply quit. They completely change their lifestyle; where they hangout at, their friends, and their type of friends. They even change their eating habits.
 
HITTING ROCK BOTTOM

Unfortunately, for some its not so easy. you have to hit rock bottom before you can change. Sometimes you hit rock bottom more than once. You just keep going back to that place where you feel the most pain. You keep drowning in your pain through your addiction. You get out of it, and go right back to rock bottom again.
 
You can change. You have to seek professional help, and you just have to quit making the same mistakes that causes you to hit rock bottom. The same mistakes lead to the same results every time! You have triggers. You need to recognize them, and stay away from them. Even if it's a person! Different types of stressors effect everyone differently. You need to make every necessary lifestyle change to overcome your addiction, including your friends or type of friends you hang out with, and the places you go. You will do quite well if you put up boundaries to protect yourself from temptation.

THE WORSE PLACE TO BE
 
There is another rock bottom that is the worse of all. The worst of all is when you hit rock bottom, and you stay there. You don't even know you've hit rock bottom. You have lost everything! - Jobs, family, even children. You've lived through abusive relationships, you will even lose your health. You are miserable, and very unhappy! The only time you feel peace, if you want to call it peace - is when you are feeding your addiction. You live in a life of confusion, because you don't know why you keep doing this to yourself. You are heartbroken, because of the feeling of failure. You are ashamed, and embarrassed. So, you stay away from all the people, and places that can help you.

This is the hardest place to be, because you've burnt all your britches from family, and friends that have helped you in the past. You are literally all alone with no where else to go, but to the only people that you THINK will help you - other people with the same addictions you have. Unfortunately, you will wake up only by a miracle which is what it will take - or you will die in your addiction.
 
DENIAL
 
Living in denial is a hard place to be! It hurts, and it hurts bad. You don't want to face the truth, but your life keeps smacking you in the face with the reality of your addiction. They say love if blind. Well! Guess what? SO IS DENIAL! Some times life sucks. But, you have to make it or brake it! And - only you can make it or brake it. 
 
ACCEPTANCE
 
There is only one person that can change your life - THAT'S YOU! Only you can make that one decision that will make your life into a life of peace or a life of hell. You have to make that responsible decision, because it IS your responsibility. No one else's, but yours. You have to accept the fact that you are an addict - You have to accept the fact that your addiction screwed up your life - You have to accept the fact that you, and only you can make that decision, and take ALL the steps to fix your life. BUT YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  
 SAVING GRACE
 
Now, I'm not going to beat around the bush, or give you some pansy excuse. I'm just going to tell you like it is! I've been alcohol, and drug free for forty years now. It wasn't easy, but I did it. I had to do my part to make those same drastic changes in my life that I'm telling you to make. But, there was one thing that made that long, hard, painful journey possible.
 
That one thing or who, was Jesus Christ. I couldn't have in no way shape or form done it without Him. Jesus was, and is my saving grace. My addiction would have been IMPOSSIBLE to overcome without Him!
 
JOHN 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
 
JOHN 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
 
JOHN 3:16-17 - 16) For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17) For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
 

JESUS IS
YOUR SAVING GRACE
AND
YOUR MIRACLE