There for Each Other

By Carl Kimbro, Fellowship Bible Church, Rogers, Celebrate Recovery Devotional team, 5/13/20


I didn’t want help in my struggles. I made every excuse in the world to avoid getting it. “I can do this on my own.” “Others will think less of me as a person if they know.” “Sharing my burden with others is an admission of failure.” But dealing with my hurts, habits, and hang-ups alone never worked for me. It always left me in failure and wanting to give up. I needed others who would share my struggles with me. The cool thing about CR and sharing is that there were always several people willing to do just that. I just had to allow them to do so.

“Bear each other’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

In the beginning, I was embarrassed to share and didn’t think it was helping me. But my accountability partners soon became my lifeline. They encouraged me to turn it over to God, live through Him and for Him, and find the freedom I was seeking. Soon, my struggles no longer controlled me. Over time, they became a victory for me - a story from my life I could use to help others who were struggling with their own hurts, habits, and hang ups.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whomever loves others has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

Early on, I wondered what guys with struggles of their own got out of helping me. Six years later, I clearly get it.  Christ showed His love for us when He died on the cross for our sins. All of those who were there for me in the past and are there for me now are showing the love of Christ to me. They know the satisfaction that comes from helping others even as many of them are still being helped today. Now, it’s so clear to me that’s what Celebrate Recovery is all about. Loving others as Christ loves us is what makes CR work. Helping others doesn’t just benefit them, it helps me too! It’s a spiritual lift I no longer want to be without, even while social distancing!

Who can you reach out to today and offer some encouragement to?  What brother or sister can you be there for today? With this quarantine in place, we need each other now! 
Click HERE to listen to "With Every Act of Love" by Jason Gray

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