October 24 is a significant date in history. It was on this date in 1857 that the first soccer club was formed, in Yorkshire, England. On October 24, 1931, gangster Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion. This date marks the deaths of three civil rights icons. All dying on October 24 were Jackie Robinson (1972), Rosa Parks (2005), and Fats Domino (2017).
But don’t forget about October 24, 1797. That was the date of the first parachute jump. Daredevil Andre-Jacques Garnerin took to the sky in a hydrogen balloon. His parachute was attached to the balloon cords by a rope. From a height of 3,200 feet, he cut the cord. What was that like? Garnerin said, “I was on the point of cutting the cord that suspended me between heaven and earth and measured with my eye the vast space that separated me from the rest of the human race.”
How did Garnerin know the parachute would work? He didn’t. He did all he could do, utilizing the best science of the day. But cutting the cord required an act of faith.
Cutting the cord always requires an act of faith.
For millions of us, our addiction became our cord. It was our only link to reality – or so we thought. Cutting that cord can be the scariest moment of one’s life.
Recovery Step: The Bible says, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). To find recovery, you must cut the cords that bind you to your addiction. It’s as scary as trusting in the first parachute from 3,200 feet. But cutting the cord is your only hope for survival.
