A dog bit a man, and it was determined that the dog had rabies. When his doctor told the man the news, he sat down and began to write a list of names.
“What are you writing?” asked the doctor.
The man responded, “I’m making a list of all the people I want to bite.”
When we have been bitten, our natural response is often to bite someone else. No one wants to suffer alone. And we certainly want our enemies to suffer at least as much as we have.
But another person’s pain never makes our pain any less. The Bible says, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. ‘Vengeance is mine,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
Recovery Step: When you are in pain, do your best to process that pain in a healthy way.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
