Little Johnny had had enough. He was tired of the school bully taking his $5 lunch money every day, so he decided to do something about it. Johnny signed up for karate classes so he could learn to defend himself. But it wasn’t long before Johnny discovered that the cost of karate lessons was $10 per day. So he just went back to giving the bully his lunch money.
Too many of us give up in our fight for sobriety because it is easier to just pay the bully than do the hard work of recovery. Paul addressed this dilemma head-on: “Do not grow weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9).
Let me offer five things you might try, the next time you are tempted to pay the bully:
- Look for new ways to break through.
- Renew your spiritual connection.
- Call a friend in recovery.
- Do something good for yourself.
- Listen to your favorite pastor or podcast.
The bully wants to rob you of sobriety and sanity. Don’t let it happen. You have too many reasons to stand up to the bully.
Recovery Step: Stand up to the bully, but don’t do it alone.
