Don’t regret the hard times. Everything God has allowed, he will use. He will never let your most painful moments go to waste. And those times will not last forever.
Jack Hyles offered good insight when he said, “Laughter means nothing unless there have been tears.” I’m guessing that along your journey of addiction or trauma, you have shed a lot of tears. Allow those tears to become the canvass on which God will paint experiences of joy and laughter.
Jesus addressed this himself: “You will grieve, but your grief will be turned to joy” (John 16:20).
Try this. Bring your most painful struggle to God in prayer today. Tell God how you feel and why you hurt. Leave your burden with him. Then wait on God to do what only he can do – turn your tears of sorrow into tears of joy.
Recovery Step: Look for opportunities of laughter today.
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.
