Kevin went down on one knee as he handed a beautiful, small box to his girlfriend, Rachel. Then he popped the question: “Will you marry me?”
Rachel responded, “Of course I’ll marry you!” Then she opened the box, to find a diamond engagement ring, for which Kevin had spend $20,000. Then, holding up the box that she had just opened, she said, “Kevin, it’s beautiful! This is the nicest box I’ve ever seen! I will treasure it forever!”
Think of the ring box as sobriety. While the box is very important, it is the gift inside that matters most. When you open up your sobriety, you find peace of mind. And spiritual intimacy. And freedom. And restoration of relationships.
You will never receive the gifts inside the box until you have the box. But never be satisfied by only having the box.
Recovery Step: “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
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.
