Step 6 Devotional: Removing Deep Hurt
When our comforts are removed, what is left in their place?
We find that deep hurt and character flaws underline our addictions.
We all have a built-in yearning for peace, comfort, and security. Some of us might be a little bit more “self-sufficient” and self-regulated, but God made us all with the desire to seek out shelter. Why? Because he is the ultimate shelter, refuge, and comfort. He wants us to seek him out. A life maxim that I’ve held for quite a few years now speaks to this; “Everyone has a God-shaped hole in their heart.” Though the size of that hole might vary from person to person, the shape of that hole doesn’t. Only God can fit into it. And most of us, “addicted” or not, fill that hole with something that insufficiently satisfies.
Our addictions act as a shelter. They don’t provide any real relief from the turmoil within or around us, of course, but it’s a shelter nonetheless. When we’re upset, whether that’s due to hurt by others, self-hatred, or stress from life’s trials, we depend on our addictions to make us feel better. When that “shelter” is taken away, as good as that really is, it could surface deep anger, hurt, and character flaws. This is where the real work begins. We can start to remove all the underlying reasons we run to our addictions.
Published
10/10/2022
Category
Faith
Step 6 of Recovery
We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Recovery is a long, hard, and often heart-wrenching process, but God is always right there with us. When we start pulling apart our lives and examining our hearts, it can be despairing. This might cause us to quit and buckle down on hiding, isolating, and avoiding our problems. We get angry. We’re angry at ourselves for having such a problem. We’re angry at those around us for treating us so cold and inconsiderately. Thankfully, we have an example in the bible that helps us think twice before giving in to despair, anger, and frustration. That example is the prophet Jonah.
Most people know Jonah from the popular bible story where he spent three days inside the stomach of a giant fish. But there’s a lot more to Jonah’s story. He was swallowed by the fish because he refused to minister to the city of Nineveh. Why? He knew that God would show mercy to them and he wanted them destroyed. Jonah’s self-righteousness got the best of him. So God brought Jonah to where he needed him on his own, terrifying terms. Jonah is considered “the stubborn prophet” for a reason. At no point did he lovingly and wholeheartedly obey what God was calling him to do.
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Jonah 4:10-11
After Jonah talked with the king of Nineveh, the city changed their ways and God relented his judgment on them. But Jonah was still not happy with God’s decision, so he sat in some shade outside the city walls, still hoping to see the city destroyed. That’s when God took Jonah’s “shelter” away. A worm ate through the stem of the one big leaf that was keeping Jonah cool. To add insult to injury, God made a scorching desert wind blow against Jonah. God did this to show Jonah that the real problem wasn’t losing his comfort. It was the hatred in his heart.
God is doing the same for us. He’s removing our “comforts” in order to reveal the deep hurt down in us. Our hurt could be traumatic events that happened to us during our childhood. It could be the hurt that we caused others. But often many times, it’s a complicated, back-and-forth history of the two. No matter the reasoning, our addictions only mask the pain and character flaws that need to be addressed. Retraining our brains to cope in a more healthy manner is difficult and frustrating. At least we have the true comfort of knowing that God is doing it because he loves us.
Conclusion
Key takeaways
We all have a yearning for comfort that only God satisfies.
When our insufficient comforts are taken away, anger, hurt and character flaws are revealed.
Jonah is the perfect example why we shouldn’t give in to this anger.
God removes our insufficient comforts in order to reveal the real problem, our hearts.
Challenge
Apply to your life
Normally we challenge you to read just a chapter out of the relevant book of the bible. This week we encourage you to read the entirety of Jonah. Don’t worry. It’s only four chapters long. Meditate and pray on what you read. Read, pray, and meditate on the deep hurt that you feel like God wants to remove from your life.
Conclusion
Key takeaways
- We all have a yearning for comfort that only God satisfies.
- When our insufficient comforts are taken away, anger, hurt and character flaws are revealed.
- Jonah is the perfect example why we shouldn’t give in to this anger.
- God removes our insufficient comforts in order to reveal the real problem, our hearts.
Challenge
Apply to your life
Normally we challenge you to read just a chapter out of the relevant book of the bible. This week we encourage you to read the entirety of Jonah. Don’t worry. It’s only four chapters long. Meditate and pray on what you read. Read, pray, and meditate on the deep hurt that you feel like God wants to remove from your life.
Ty Walker
Ty Walker is a contract copywriter and graphic designer with a huge heart for recovery. He has spent the last five years serving churches and recovery communities with his creative skills. Ty spends his free time writing poetry and fictional short stories as well as hiking, biking, and kayaking with his wife, Angie, and his two daughters, Winter and Ember.
Credit where credit is due
This article was inspired by The Life Recovery Bible presented by Tyndale Publishing. If you would like to check out additional recovery articles, videos, and podcast episodes, check us out at artisticrecovery.org.
