I just got a call this morning from one of my sponsees who has been doing really great in recovery. Unfortunately, he told me that last night, after our weekly check-in, he had a slip or relapse where we unburried a weapon of war by looking at content on KSL and then following a link to YouTube where he started browsing videos for the next hour while in bed.
I feel really bad for him. He has been working on Step 4 clean up and preparing to do Step 5 – 7. I feel one of the things that could have been a trigger for him was that we talked about Step 5 – 7 last night and that led to him questioning what Steps 8 and 9 would entail.
I talked to him about the making amends process and the different ways we make amends.
He mentioned that he didn’t know if he would be ready to make amends to some of the people on his list, namely, his brother who introduced him to pornography.
Anyway, I told him to think about the process of what happened and to write it down step by step. I told him to pray about what happened and to consider what the next steps should be.
When he writes things out, I’m going to have him submit that to me and then I’ll share it with Mark and get his advice. I’m am pretty sure he’ll say he has to start over…
Satan is so cunning.
Satan is so manipulative.
Satan has so much power if we give him access to our will.
On a brighter note, I’m reading an article this morning from the Sunday School Presidency about studying the Book of Mormon this year. This is a statement from Elder Durant:
“A timeless element of the Book of Mormon that stands out for me is that through obedience you prosper,” Brother Durrant observed. “Oft times, we think of that as material prosperity. I think the message is that prosperity comes through enjoying an abundance of the Spirit, and throughout the Book of Mormon we watch that happen. As the people are obedient, they enjoy a greater outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord, and as the cycle tends to turn down, they learn that they lose the influence of the Holy Spirit, and we see the impact of that.”
As I’ve mentioned in my journaling, I look forward to reading the sections of the Sunday School lesson and making the study of the Book of Mormon part of my daily routine.
Not only do I feel it will bring the Spirit even more into my life, I also feel it’s essential as a tool to help me in recovery and healing.
Brother Ashton shares:
“It’s in the constant reading, studying, and application of the Book of Mormon that we receive a power into our lives that is palpable, and it changes us.”
Brother Callister said this about the study of the Book of Mormon:
“Nowhere can we gain an understanding of the Atonement like we do in the Book of Mormon. The New Testament is very helpful and very good. But you look at all the masterful sermons in the Book of Mormon on the Atonement, and it’s stunning, when you think about it.”
This statement makes me wonder how some will take that – but at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter, that’s not my boat to row.
Entire chapters focus on Christ’s Atonement, Brother Callister said, citing 2 Nephi 9 and 10 and chapters in Jacob and Mosiah. “Maybe the greatest sermon we have on the Atonement anywhere is King Benjamin’s address,” he said.
“These sermons teach us things you don’t really get from the Bible. They help us understand the Atonement can help us overcome weaknesses, that through the Atonement we can become like Christ. Those are deep, poignant, and incredible insights that only the Book of Mormon gives.”
This is one of my favorite scriptures about studying the word of God:
23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the arod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?
24 And I said unto them that it was the aword of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would bhold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the ctemptations and the fiery ddarts of the eadversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.
What does it mean to “hold fast” unto the word of God?
What are the “temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary?”
Overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction – this is addiction. These are the flaxen chords. These are the chains of hell.
YouTube, social media, news articles – these are some of the temptations and fiery darts of the adversary. They’re subtle. They can seem insignificant and justifiable, but they are deadly and blind and lead away to destruction.
This scripture is so applicable too:
3 aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, bfeast upon the cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will dtell you all things what ye should do.
I’m grateful for the time I’ve made this morning to study the words of leaders in the Church.
I’m grateful for the words found in the Book of Mormon. I want to make the study of the word of God a daily habit this year and not justify why I am not reading, studying, pondering and praying.
I want to feel the Spirit every day in my life.
I want to feel its influence as I teach my kids, as I do my work, and as I interact with others.
I look forward to a day in recovery today.
Hasta luego!
Nate
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