Costly Recovery

There is a stark difference between costly and cheap recovery. Cheap recovery is the single most deadly enemy. An enemy of one’s effort toward a healthy and well-meaningful and purposeful life. We are fighting for costly recovery.

What is cheap recovery?

It is a cut rate recovery journey where there is minimal cost with supposed maximized benefits. An infinite amount of benefits and possibilities are endless. It is a principle doctrine, a system proclaimed as a general truth, and an intellectual sufficiency to secure a sense of happiness. It is a cheap and inadequate covering where there is no true and sincere contrition expressed. It is denying true desire for healing and deliverance.

Cheap recovery amounts to denial of authentic living toward meaning and purpose. It also denies the spiritual aspect of recovery. Cheap recovery means building an illusion of hope. It denies true discipline and personal surrender and confession. It is without mentorship and accountability.

What is costly recovery?

Costly recovery is that which one seeks after. It is calling for an individual to ask for, to follow after time and again, and calls for one to sacrifice their present life. It calls for a sacrifice of our Present life in order to restore us back to a true life. It’s costly because it condemns the present condition of our depravity. It, then, justifies and fortifies us. It is costly because it required the life of God’s only begotten Son, and through His grace, we are delivered from the depths of our despair. It is costly, because we are called to follow Christ. It is complete, radical, and transformative toward a new life.

On the road to Damascus

Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11, and 26:9-20 provide detailed account of the Apostle Paul’s dramatic conversion. These passages provide insight in the radical and dramatic conversion one experiences to begin their own recovery oriented journey. This is what one refers to as a Damascus Road Experience.

This experience moves a person from their previous life, beliefs, character traits, and embrace a new way of living and behaving. This is the core purpose of recovery. A dramatic, radical, and startling change. A transformation where we are no longer in a position of bargaining, negotiating, question, or make half-hazard attempts at changing. Through Christ’s atonement and sacrifice, the Grace of God; we come to the end of ourselves and ask – What do you want me to do? And our response is to willing walk in obedience. A complete and total surrender. This surrender is not a one time deal. It is a daily commitment to seek Him, walk in his commandments, and commissioned (through the grace of God) to love Him and others.

Call to repentance and forgiveness

At some point, you will hopefully experience your own Damascus Road conversion. Whether it is as startling and radical as that of the Apostle Paul, or more gradual understanding and experience of God’s sovereign grace, healing power, and mercy. Regardless, we are all called to repent of our sins and turn to Christ – our redeemer and savior.