We all love the promises of God. In the Bible, there are 7,500 of them. Promises like:
- Peace
- Heaven
- Joy
- Wisdom
- Connection
Here’s another one, from the lips of Jesus himself. “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33).
Wait a minute! I didn’t sign up for that! Give me the promises about prosperity and peace, happiness and health, fan and good times. But trouble? Are you kidding me, Jesus?
There’s a line in the Serenity Prayer that most of us have never prayed.
“Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace.”
Yes, the road to peace is often paved with bricks made out of hardships. In the Christian life, trouble is not a possibility; it is a promise.
Recovery Step: Ten percent of recovery is what happens to you. The other 90 percent is how you react.
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.
