Finding Jesus

[madison1101]

I was talking to a nurse at the psych hospital I work at part time last night. We were getting to know one another, as she was new to the hospital. I mentioned, for some reason, that I was in recovery for alcoholism. I do not reveal my time sober at this job, just that I am in recovery. There are many of my colleagues who are in recovery, so it is not a stigma.

When she mentioned she was also in recovery, I asked if she went to meetings. Her answer was that she found Jesus, and did not need to go to meetings. My reply was that I found Jesus too, and that He goes to meetings with me.

I used to think I was a bad Christian because I need meetings, and now I think differently. I also told this nurse that being a Christian gave me the opportunity to develop relationships at meetings and share the love that the Lord has for others.

Anyone relate?

Trish

 

[TheMainException]

I've seen that God goes to meetings...and he also goes elsewhere. Anyone who thinks that meetings don't involve Jesus or that only by going to meetings with Jesus is deluded. God can do great things with or without the help of human institutions and the like, but He expects us to help one another whether that be through AA meetings or simply sharing of ourselves.

 

[madison1101]

I've seen that God goes to meetings...and he also goes elsewhere. Anyone who thinks that meetings don't involve Jesus or that only by going to meetings with Jesus is deluded. God can do great things with or without the help of human institutions and the like, but He expects us to help one another whether that be through AA meetings or simply sharing of ourselves.

That is exactly what recovery is all about. Finding what works for you, and making it work. For me, it is meetings, the Steps and integrating them into my daily walk with the Lord. For others, it may be Celebrate Recovery. For others, whatever works, works.

I guess what bothered me most about what she said was that I took it to mean that if I go to meetings, I must not have found Jesus. That was why I told her that I also had found Jesus and He goes to the meetings with me. I am sure that she was using that statement as an evangelistic tool, to show an unbeliever that finding Jesus can help with recovery. I sometimes feel "less than" because I need the meetings, and the program. I often wish that God had waved His healing wand over me and healed me of my alcoholism and made it so I did not need meetings. But, then, I would not have met some terrific people and been able to reach out to so many people as well.

Trish

 

[RuthD]

I was talking to a nurse at the psych hospital I work at part time last night. We were getting to know one another, as she was new to the hospital. I mentioned, for some reason, that I was in recovery for alcoholism. I do not reveal my time sober at this job, just that I am in recovery. There are many of my colleagues who are in recovery, so it is not a stigma.

When she mentioned she was also in recovery, I asked if she went to meetings. Her answer was that she found Jesus, and did not need to go to meetings. My reply was that I found Jesus too, and that He goes to meetings with me.

I used to think I was a bad Christian because I need meetings, and now I think differently. I also told this nurse that being a Christian gave me the opportunity to develop relationships at meetings and share the love that the Lord has for others.

Anyone relate?

Trish

Yes, I believe that is very true. I am praying to the Lord to heal you.

 

[JodyGirl]

I was talking to a nurse at the psych hospital I work at part time last night. We were getting to know one another, as she was new to the hospital. I mentioned, for some reason, that I was in recovery for alcoholism. I do not reveal my time sober at this job, just that I am in recovery. There are many of my colleagues who are in recovery, so it is not a stigma.

When she mentioned she was also in recovery, I asked if she went to meetings. Her answer was that she found Jesus, and did not need to go to meetings. My reply was that I found Jesus too, and that He goes to meetings with me.

I used to think I was a bad Christian because I need meetings, and now I think differently. I also told this nurse that being a Christian gave me the opportunity to develop relationships at meetings and share the love that the Lord has for others.

Anyone relate?

Trish

Hi Trish,

Nice to meet you. I can definitely relate. I've been in recovery since 2004, since I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior. But have been struggling since. I've only been sober since February 3, 2010 (for 2 days), but I've gone back to church and have been to a few A.A. meetings recently.

Yes, I think it's okay to still go to A.A. meetings. But please find a good church to belong to and talk to your pastor for a prayer also. They both help. I think it's still okay.

 

[BobW188]

Definitely relate. I'm in a situation, as I have been before, where I prefer a meeting to church.

 

[madison1101]

Hi Trish,

Nice to meet you. I can definitely relate. I've been in recovery since 2004, since I had accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior. But have been struggling since. I've only been sober since February 3, 2010 (for 2 days), but I've gone back to church and have been to a few A.A. meetings recently.

Yes, I think it's okay to still go to A.A. meetings. But please find a good church to belong to and talk to your pastor for a prayer also. They both help. I think it's still okay.

I do not know what makes you think I do not have a church. I am very active in a Bible teaching church, and my pastor is fully aware of my recovery issues.

 

[devonian]

Her answer was that she found Jesus, and did not need to go to meetings. My reply was that I found Jesus too, and that He goes to meetings with me.

I found Jesus, but not sobriety, before I went to meetings. I learned how to turn my will and life over to God by going to meetings, and found sobriety.

Hat's off to your friend for getting sobriety by finding Jesus, but it took a little more for me.