God didn’t call you to be successful, but he did call you to be fruitful. And if you are already fruitful, God’s plan for your life is that you become more fruitful. Jesus was pretty clear: “Every branch that bears fruit he prunes so it will be more fruitful” (John 15:2).
How, exactly, do we become more fruitful? How does this work from our end?
Fruitfulness requires prayer. And Scripture reading. And fasting. And other spiritual disciplines. But sometimes, it also requires hard work.
John Ortberg said, “Over time, grit is what separates fruitful lives from aimlessness.”
Recovery is a lot like that. Yes, God does for us what we could not do for ourselves. But he doesn’t do it without our partnership. Recovery often requires grit.
Recovery Step: Do you want your life to bear more fruit? Embrace grit. Do you want to achieve enduring sobriety? Same answer – grit.
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.
