Invaders.

Along with the arrival of spring which brings warmer weather, the ability to open windows to enjoy fresh air comes with an added disadvantageous feature. The arrival of “invaders”. In our case it’s seeing more spiders in corners than usual, the seemingly ever-present box elder bugs, stink bugs, the what I call “lady bug wanna-bes”, and most recently, ants. While all of these are not welcome guests in our home, I most detest the ants because they come out of nowhere, they scurry across the kitchen counter or floors in search of a morsel. It seems no matter how well we clean up our messes, these outside inhabitants prefer to see what our cupboards have to offer.

Recently, I counted squishing about 12 ants in the kitchen before the day was over. Finding one or two isn’t enough to cause me alarm, but when their numbers increase I go on the defense. Thankfully, doing a search online has given me numerous homemade recipes that trap our lil visitors, feed their hungry bellies and they either succumb or take the “bait” back to the nest like the good sharers they are, and bingo! By feeding their friends my “potion” the colony dies and my ant problem is solved.

If only cleaning up my own behavior were so easy. I know that by being a Christ follower my Heavenly Father desires that I live a godly life. Therefore, Paul’s words from Romans 8: 13-14 serve as nourishment for my hungry spirit—“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul writes—“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Contrasting how I’m catching ants with a tasty trap to rid them from our home to that of how God desires to remove unwanted behavior or the presence of poor habits in my life is pause for reflection. Thankfully, God doesn’t have to “trick” me into biting into His word which is the holy bible. When I or you come into relationship with Him He plants a desire in our spirit to crave reading scripture, talking and listening to Him, and merely once a day but to “pray without ceasing… give thanks in all circumstances….” (Paraphrased from 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

In the 12 step program which we use at Celebrate Recovery #1 states “We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Ants come into our house looking for food. They have no ability to comprehend their presence is unwelcome. Like other creatures, they are acting on instinct. I, on the other hand, and you—as humans—are the only beings that know right from wrong, have a conscience, and freewills. Unfortunately, for some, poor choices can lead to a life of addiction and behavior choices that destroy everything around us such as relationships, workplace stress, even physical illness.

Because Celebrate Recovery relies heavily on the validity of scripture, a verse from the beatitudes accompanies Step 1. It says: “Happy are those who know that they are spiritually poor.” (Matthew 5: 3a)

Happy? Not miserable? Yes, happy, in the sense that partnering admitting our powerlessness with acknowledging that we can be spiritually poor gives us the power and motivation to change when we truly surrender egos, pride and a need to be in control over to God.

Unlike the pesky bugs that I have described as “invaders as being a nuisance, it’s a wonderful concept that God WANTS to invade our minds and hearts. Over time, our relationship with Him grows as His Holy Spirit waters and feeds our daily thoughts, actions, and circumstances.

Aren’t you happy that He doesn’t trick us into coming to Him? On the contrary, the answers and solutions most of us are seeking can be found easily. They are contained in all of scripture. When we dine, when we feast, when we digest its contents and “share” the treasures with others, we all thrive.

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Celebrate Recovery meets every Tuesday, beginning at 7 pm, at Fowlerville UB Church. If you’re ready to find out how to begin a new way of dealing with lifes’ hurts, habits & hangups, check us out!