Day 9 Prayers for Courage

Ask for the courage to face their addiction and seek help.

Deuteronomy 31:6

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you."

The first step on any recovery and 12-step journey is to step out of denial and admit we need help. It takes a lot of courage to look yourself in the mirror and admit that. For our loved ones in addiction that can involve doing some very scary things - walking into a treatment center or hospital, standing before a judge, turning themselves in to go to jail, meeting with a DHR caseworker, facing people they have hurt tremendously with no idea how they will be received, etc. So many times their addiction began with abusing drugs to escape the pain of these situations. To give up the drugs and begin to authentically feel the pain again can be overwhelming and down right terrifying.

Having faith that if we walk in obedience Jesus will meet us there is the only thing I’ve found that can inspire such courage. Recovery journeys (or really any spiritual walk with God) work best when we take our eyes off of the big picture and the what-ifs, focus on Jesus and do the next right thing - one thing at a time. In the sermon on the mount Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." In recovery we remind ourselves “just for today.” If we look at too much at one time, we might give up but if we focus on today it seems more manageable. We can survive pretty much anything for one day and we can worry about tomorrow when it comes.

Let’s pray that God will give our loved ones the courage to face the consequences of the choices they made and the actions they took while in addiction. It’s not easy but if we trust in God and do the next right thing we can get through it. Jesus will be all over it. He will make ways where there is no way. He will provide everything we need to carry out His will in our lives. He is faithful to see us through whatever we may face. In fact, I’m sometimes jealous of people in early recovery because the miracles God is performing in their lives are so obvious and so frequent. God is with us always but I think He lets us see more frequent glimpses of Himself in early recovery when we need so badly to build our faith. It is a beautiful journey and I love to watch it unfold for new believers in recovery. I can’t wait for you to see it in your loved ones.

May God bless you on this journey!

Precious Heavenly Father,

We come before You today lifting up our loved ones who are struggling with addiction. Lord, we know that You see their pain, their battles, and their fear. We ask You to fill them with the courage they need to face their addiction head-on and seek the help they so desperately need.

Father, give them the strength to break through the chains of denial and shame. Replace their fear with a bold spirit that knows You are with them every step of the way. Help them to see that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a powerful act of bravery and surrender to Your will.

Surround them with people who can guide them, support them, and walk with them on the path to healing. Let them feel Your presence in their darkest moments and know that there is no place too far for Your love to reach.

We trust in Your power to transform, heal, and restore. Let Your love be the foundation upon which they rebuild their lives, and give them the courage to take the first step toward freedom today.

In Jesus' name, we pray.

Amen.

Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

2 Timothy 1:7

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."

1 Chronicles 28:20

"David also said to Solomon his son, 'Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.'"

Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Psalm 31:24

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."