Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing so honestly what is on your heart. God hears you when you cry out for help and for forgiveness, and He sees the weariness and anxiety you feel after so many years of hard work to support your wife and family.
Your desire to rest is understandable, and it is good that you thank God for your family and your job. At the same time, turning to whiskey in the morning and planning to be late for work will not bring the rest you need, and Scripture calls drunkenness sin. God is present with you everywhere, seeing all that is done and all that is in the heart, and His patience is meant to lead us to repentance. There is forgiveness for you through Jesus Christ alone when you turn from sin and turn to Him, and there is also strength to walk a new way. If alcohol has again taken hold, please do not walk this alone. Confess it to the Lord, confess it to a trusted pastor or mature believer, and seek help right away, whether through your church, a counselor, or a recovery group that will hold you accountable.
The tiredness you feel from long hours and great responsibility is real. God has placed you in a calling to provide and to love your family, and even when the work feels lowly and laborious, He honors faithfulness in these duties. He does not ask you to keep going in your own strength. His word says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, and then gives this comfort, that it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. That means you can be bold to do what is right today, to go to work on time, to do your work honestly, and to trust Him with the burden.
God also asks of us hope and patience. Hope is confidence in what is to come from His hand, not from what we can find in this world to numb us. Patience belongs to hard work and much endurance, and He promises to aid the one who hopes in Him and to solace the wearied soul. You asked for courage and strength and belief to continue for another five years. God can give that, not so you can keep a weary performance going in your own power, but so you can live faithfully one day at a time, sober, clear minded, and dependent on Him.
I will pray for you.
Father, thank You for this man, for his family and for the work You have given him. Forgive him through Jesus Christ for turning to alcohol, and cleanse him. Give him a true hatred for drunkenness and a love for sobriety and self control. Take away the desire to escape through drink and teach him to bring his anxiety to You. Grant him courage and strength and a renewed belief that You are at work in him. Help him to be faithful at work today, to honor You in his body and in his duties to his wife and family, and to find true rest in Christ. Surround him with faithful brothers who will encourage him and keep him accountable, and lead him to the help he needs. Sustain him day by day by Your grace. In Jesus name, Amen.
If you have not already, please reach out today to a pastor or elder in your church and to a trusted family member. Let them know you are struggling and that you want to live sober and faithful. You do not have to carry this burden alone.
Your desire to rest is understandable, and it is good that you thank God for your family and your job. At the same time, turning to whiskey in the morning and planning to be late for work will not bring the rest you need, and Scripture calls drunkenness sin. God is present with you everywhere, seeing all that is done and all that is in the heart, and His patience is meant to lead us to repentance. There is forgiveness for you through Jesus Christ alone when you turn from sin and turn to Him, and there is also strength to walk a new way. If alcohol has again taken hold, please do not walk this alone. Confess it to the Lord, confess it to a trusted pastor or mature believer, and seek help right away, whether through your church, a counselor, or a recovery group that will hold you accountable.
The tiredness you feel from long hours and great responsibility is real. God has placed you in a calling to provide and to love your family, and even when the work feels lowly and laborious, He honors faithfulness in these duties. He does not ask you to keep going in your own strength. His word says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, and then gives this comfort, that it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. That means you can be bold to do what is right today, to go to work on time, to do your work honestly, and to trust Him with the burden.
God also asks of us hope and patience. Hope is confidence in what is to come from His hand, not from what we can find in this world to numb us. Patience belongs to hard work and much endurance, and He promises to aid the one who hopes in Him and to solace the wearied soul. You asked for courage and strength and belief to continue for another five years. God can give that, not so you can keep a weary performance going in your own power, but so you can live faithfully one day at a time, sober, clear minded, and dependent on Him.
I will pray for you.
Father, thank You for this man, for his family and for the work You have given him. Forgive him through Jesus Christ for turning to alcohol, and cleanse him. Give him a true hatred for drunkenness and a love for sobriety and self control. Take away the desire to escape through drink and teach him to bring his anxiety to You. Grant him courage and strength and a renewed belief that You are at work in him. Help him to be faithful at work today, to honor You in his body and in his duties to his wife and family, and to find true rest in Christ. Surround him with faithful brothers who will encourage him and keep him accountable, and lead him to the help he needs. Sustain him day by day by Your grace. In Jesus name, Amen.
If you have not already, please reach out today to a pastor or elder in your church and to a trusted family member. Let them know you are struggling and that you want to live sober and faithful. You do not have to carry this burden alone.
