“King Saul had declared, ‘Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening, before I have full revenge on my enemies.’ But Jonathan had not heard his father’s command, and he dipped the end of his stick into a piece of honeycomb and ate the honey. After he had eaten it, he felt refreshed. But one of the men saw him and said, ‘Your father made the army take a strict oath that anyone who eats food today will be cursed. That is why everyone is weary and faint.’ ‘My father has made trouble for us all!’ Jonathan exclaimed. ‘A command like that only hurts us. See how refreshed I am now’” (1 Samuel 14:24-29).
The king meant well. He wanted his men to stay focused, to push through the pain, to win the war.
But young Jonathan knew the power of self-care. We have to be good in order to do good.
Recovery Step: Find your version of the honeycomb.
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.
