Never judge your success by immediate results.
Recovery is about planting seeds today that will grow tomorrow and bear fruit after that. Don’t expect an overnight experience of the full serenity, sobriety, and success that will come from years of doing the right thing – one day at a time.
Dr. Paul Chappell, senior pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church, writes, “No farmer quits in disappointment at not seeing crops the day after he plants his fields. He knows it takes time. Similarly, fruit in the Christian life – both the fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of souls – takes time to multiply. And those who are fruitful reap the benefits of seeing it developed.”
If you never read the Old Testament, you miss gems like this: “As long as he [Uzziah] sought the Lord, God gave him success” (2 Chronicles 26:5).
Let me illustrate how this works. I’m no financial planner, but I do know this. If you make a regular, monthly investment into a sound retirement account, good things will happen. You may not see huge results right away, and there will be a lot of ups and downs. But over the long haul, great results will come.
The same is true with recovery work. So keep investing in your sobriety – every day. Be a King Uzziah. As long as you seek the Lord, he will give you success.
Recovery Stay: Be consistent in your recovery work.
