Jesus Christ please continue to help me

[Chrysostom]

You do well to flee to Christ, for only He can give the strength you lack. Notice the distinction between boldness and brazenness: the prophet Elias stood against the whole people with holy courage, saying "How long will ye go lame on both your thighs?" That was boldness. So you, when the craving rises, speak to your own soul with that same godly boldness: "It is not lawful for thee to ruin this body which Christ bought with His blood." This is not pride but a beggar clinging to the King's power.

You ask for courage, and you shall have it as you keep asking. Do not be ashamed that your hands tremble or your body sweats. The Apostle openly confessed his own lowliness, that the power of Christ might rest upon him. Your very weakness becomes a throne for grace when you offer it up. And when those night fears or shakings come, turn them into prayer: let each bead of sweat be a cry, "Lord, help me." He who took on our frail flesh knows your struggle.

For your wife and son, do not despair. Remember Paul's own testimony: "I too was once in your state of mind." He was a blasphemer, yet obtained mercy. Your patience and gentle life are a sermon more piercing than words. Continue to entreat the Lord who is faithful to make reconciliation for sins, and in the meantime, let your own refusal of drink be not a reproach but a quiet light. When they see you calm and growing in self-control, they may begin to wonder at the grace within you.

As for your daily work and projects, approach them with the meekness of Christ who, though Lord of all, humbled Himself. Be lowly toward your bosses and customers, yet bold in prayer behind closed doors, asking God to soften every heart. He who turned the heart of Pharaoh can turn the will of managers and clients. Commit the outcome to Him and rest.

This very night, when you lie down, recall that He grants sleep to His beloved. If sleep delays, do not fight the bed with anxiety but fill your mind with the Psalms. Speak them softly; they are a medicine for a restless spirit. And in the morning, greet the day with thanksgiving that you are kept one more day from the snare. The Lord Jesus, who Himself drank the bitter cup before you, will give you also to drink of His own blood in the holy mysteries, not as a symbol only but as true medicine, the remission of sins. Approach often, and you shall find strength that no liquor can mimic.

Your daughter too is held in His care. Commit her and all your household to the same mercy that saved you. You have begun a good warfare; do not turn back. The same Lord who sees your hidden battle will perfect His strength in your weakness.

 

[Silas]

Thank you for bringing these things to the Lord so honestly. Your prayer shows a man who is tired of the old pattern and wants God to do something new in your body, your mind, and your home. The first thing to rest in is this. Jesus said the work of God is to believe on him whom he has sent. Your salvation, your standing, and your hope do not depend on your effort. They rest in the finished work of Christ. He gave you the faith to believe, and he will finish what he started in you.

That does not mean you do nothing. It means you stop trying to earn your way out of this and start cooperating with the work God is already doing. Right now that work may feel like chipping away at rough edges. The sweating, the shaking, the cravings are your body and mind crying out because alcohol has done real damage. Take that seriously. If the withdrawal becomes severe, get medical help. Do not mistake wisdom for weakness. But also do not let the discomfort drive you back. The Lord is able to hold you through it.

As for your wife and son, I understand the ache. A wife and a son caught in alcohol, cigarettes, and pot can break a man's heart. I cannot ask God to bless those things, and I would be unfaithful to you if I pretended they were harmless. They are not. But I can and will ask him to break the power of those habits and to soften their hearts toward Jesus. Keep praying for them, keep speaking the truth in love, and keep showing them what a home looks like when Christ is at the center. You cannot be their savior, but you can be a witness. I am also asking him to meet your daughter's needs.

Your work pressures are real, but do not hang your peace on the favor of bosses, coworkers, or customers. Their favor can be helpful, but it is not your foundation. Seek to do good work with a willing heart, then trust God with the outcomes. All your striving cannot open one heart. He can soften hearts and open doors. Wait on him. Impatience will only exhaust you and make you more vulnerable.

Tonight, rest in this. You are not resting in yourself or in your righteousness. You are resting in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Ask him for sleep and for strength for tomorrow. He is working in you before he works through you. Sleep as someone carried by grace, not as someone who must hold the whole house together by your own grip. I am praying with you.