A Message on Control, Pain, and Trusting the Process
Hey friends,
Even though I’m still on vacation, I made a commitment to show up here each day, and that hasn’t changed. These daily reflections have helped keep me stay grounded, and I know they mean something to many of you, too. So, let’s dive into today’s message—a tough but honest look at the illusion of control, the value of testing, and how faith helps us move forward.
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Recognizing When the Illusion Breaks
“I still had my family… I still had my job… I didn’t believe I was an alcoholic.”
Many of us held onto that denial for a long time. It’s common to compare ourselves with others who seemed worse off. Maybe we hadn’t landed in jail. Maybe we still managed to show up to work most days. Maybe our loved ones hadn’t left—yet. And because of that, we clung to the belief that we weren’t like “those alcoholics.”
But beneath that surface of “functioning” was deep sickness—spiritual, emotional, and physical. Our lives were out of control, even if we didn’t want to see it. And it wasn’t just the drinking—it was the despair, the loneliness, the lack of peace. If you’ve ever told yourself you could control it, today might be the day to ask: Have I really changed my mind?
The Truth About Painful Seasons
Today’s meditation reminds us that pain often has purpose. It doesn’t feel that way in the moment, but recovery asks us to look deeper. What if your current hardship isn’t a punishment—but a preparation?
The testing we endure is shaping us for something bigger than we can see right now. That doesn’t make the struggle easy—but it gives it meaning. Our worst moments, our rock bottoms, our desperate prayers—they’re all part of a refining process.
Selfishness, pride, and control are like toxins that need to be burned out. Not because we’re bad people, but because we’ve been carrying around heavy weights we weren’t meant to bear. When those things are removed, we finally begin to heal, and we finally begin to receive.
Faith When It Doesn’t Make Sense
It’s easy to pray for healing and change. It’s harder to accept the route those answers sometimes take.
Today’s prayer speaks volumes:
“I pray that I may be willing to go through a time of testing. I pray that I may trust God for the outcome.”
This kind of prayer isn’t about getting what we want. It’s about trusting the process, even when it’s painful. Faith means surrendering to a power greater than ourselves—not just when it feels good, but especially when it doesn’t.
Trusting God (or the higher power of your understanding) is not passive. It’s a conscious choice to believe that something beautiful can rise out of the ashes. It’s a willingness to walk through fire so we can emerge free from what used to hold us captive.
So if you’re in a season of waiting or discomfort right now, don’t lose heart. Your transformation is unfolding. Just keep walking.
3 Steps to Reflect On Today
1. Ask Yourself Honestly: Have you fully accepted that you are powerless over alcohol (or whatever your struggle is)? Or are you still holding onto control?
2. Look for Purpose in the Pain: Can you identify anything your current hardships might be preparing you for? What might be getting “burned away”?
3. Pray for Willingness: You don’t have to be strong—you just need to be willing. Willing to be tested. Willing to surrender. Willing to trust the outcome to something greater than yourself.
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Closing Thoughts
The journey of recovery doesn’t promise comfort, but it does promise peace. And that peace comes not from control—but from surrender.
Thank you for checking in today. I’ll be back again tomorrow with another reflection, even if I’m still sipping coffee somewhere new.
Take what you need. Leave the rest.
One day at a time.
Finding the Way 