I had my monthly radio interview this morning and once again after it was finished I had a flash of what I wish I had said.
The interview was about recovery, repentance, Lent, conversion, changing one's life, "turning around"etc. etc. The interviewer mentioned that his brother had died of alcoholism a few years ago and the interviewer said his brother had "just given up." Towards the end of his life his brother had said, "I am an alcoholic. That is who I am. That is my identity."
What I wish I had said was, "NOOOOOOOOO! Those of us with this diagnosis are soooo much more than that diagnosis!! No one with any disease can let that diagnosis define who they are." Sadly self help reinforces this identity by requiring that we say, "I'm Penny Hauser and I'm an alcoholic" time after time after time. The Steps of self help encourage a person to look further but way too often recovery doesn't last long enough for a person to move into further stages of reconciliation, repentance, forgiveness, and exploration of being so much more.
That "so much more" is that we are beloved children of God. He is the Good Shepard looking for those of us who are lost. He is the father of the Prodigal Son/ Daughter--at the end of the road looking for us. He throws a party when we are found.
You are so much more. Spend a few minutes today to consider what that means. What does it mean to be a beloved child of God? Do you believe it? Faith is a journey.
Blessings-Penny
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