March 7: Draw Near When the Pull Comes
The craving shows up uninvited, again. You’re tired of fighting it.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James gives a simple order of operations. Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
Notice what comes first. Submit to God. Then resist.
Many people try to resist cravings by sheer force. They clench their jaw and refuse. Sometimes it works for a while. But willpower alone is a tiring way to live. It’s like holding a door shut against someone pushing from the other side. Eventually your arms give out.
James suggests a different approach. Turn toward God first. Then resist from that position. It’s not your strength against the craving. It’s God’s strength, and you’re standing behind Him.
That’s where Step Three becomes practical. The decision to turn your will and life over to God isn’t just a big moment you have once. It’s something you do in the small moments too. Like when a craving hits. Instead of white-knuckling, you turn. “God, I’m handing this to You. I’m Yours. Help me.”
Then you take the next step. Call someone. Leave the situation. Eat something. Pray. Read a verse. Walk around the block. You resist, but from a place of having already turned toward God.
And James adds a promise. Draw near to God, and He’ll draw near to you. You don’t take one step toward Him and find He’s moved further away. You take one step, and He closes the distance.
Cravings usually pass faster than they feel like they will. Each one you get through, turning toward God instead of the bottle, makes the turning more natural the next time. Eventually it becomes a reflex.
If cravings come with physical symptoms like shaking, sweating or a racing heart, get medical help.
Safety first. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before you quit.
One thing today
Next time a craving comes, say out loud: “God, I’m Yours. Take this.” Then do one physical thing to get away from it. Note how long the craving actually lasted.
A prayer
God, I submit myself to You. I’m not strong enough to fight this alone. Stand between me and the craving. Draw near to me as I draw near to You.
For more on getting through a craving, see help with alcohol cravings. This month: Step Three.
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