“He made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side” (Mark 6:45).
I’m guessing that when Jesus did that, his followers yawned, then mumbled to each other, “Here goes another boring boat ride; I wonder what Jesus will have for us on the other side of the lake.”
Fast forward four verses.
“They saw Jesus walking on the water” (Mark 1:49).
Here’s the point. We make the destination the main thing. But for Jesus, the journey is the main thing. Oswald Chambers said it like this: “God is not working toward a particular finish; his purpose is the process itself.”
What we call preparation, God calls the goal. Recovery is more about direction than destination. So capture those seemingly mundane moments in the boat, on the way to what’s next. It is on that journey that you just might have your greatest encounter with Jesus yet.
Recovery Step: Embrace the journey.
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.
