June 26: The Spirit Is Willing

It’s a warm summer evening. Someone opens a cold beer nearby, and for a second, you can almost taste it.

Jesus said these words to His closest friends in the garden. He’d asked them to stay awake and pray with Him. They kept falling asleep. And He said: watch and pray, that you don’t enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Jesus wasn’t scolding them as much as describing them. Their spirit was willing. They loved Him. They wanted to stay awake. But their bodies were tired, and willingness alone wasn’t enough.

That’s true in recovery. You can be fully willing to stay sober. You can mean it with your whole heart. And then a summer evening comes, and the flesh is weak.

Summer can be hard. Cookouts. Ballgames. Lake days. Patio dinners. Drinking is part of the scenery. Old memories come back with the smell of charcoal and cut grass.

Jesus gives the answer: watch and pray. Watching means paying attention. Knowing where you’re vulnerable. Planning ahead. Praying means staying connected to God, especially in risky moments.

Some practical watching: bring your own drinks to gatherings. Have an exit plan. Bring a sober friend if you can. Text someone before you go and after you leave. Eat. Don’t get too tired. Leave early if you need to.

And pray. Before. During, under your breath. After.

A craving isn’t a failure. It’s a signal. It tells you to watch and pray harder. Many cravings pass within minutes if you don’t feed them. And every one you ride out makes the next a little easier to face. You’re not just getting through tonight. You’re building a new way of handling summer evenings, one at a time.

For more ideas, read help with alcohol cravings.

One thing today

Look at your plans for the next week. Find one situation where alcohol will likely be present. Write down your plan: what you’ll drink, who you’ll text, and when you’ll leave.

A prayer

Jesus, my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. Help me watch and pray. When the craving comes, give me a way out and the strength to take it. Keep me sober today. Amen.

This month’s step: Step Six.

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