“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12
I talk to a lot of people who are in recovery from the damage that benzodiazepines do to the brain and body, even from a prescribed dose. (Not everyone has horrific damage, but a good percentage do.) I know how hard it is to survive day after day with the debilitating mental and physical symptoms. But there is a simple, three ingredient life recipe that can help. It can help anyone, not just those in withdrawal.
The apostle Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans, that we are to 1. rejoice in hope, 2. be patient in tribulations, and 3. be constant in prayer. Three easy things that all of us can do. Upon awakening, talk to God and then listen. Give your life and your will over to him for the day ahead. Then rejoice in hope for the coming day! As you go throughout your day, don’t worry about your troubles. Give them over to God. Don’t try to rush anything. I used to literally ache to hurry my recovery along when my brain was so badly damaged. All that did was make me miserable. Patience allows us more peace and serenity.
Be constant in Prayer, Paul encourages. How can we be constantly praying when we all have such busy lives? I made a decision a while back that I was going to live my life as a prayer: that my thinking, feeling, decisions and actions, were all a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Setting the bar that high means I have to be very mindful to be in alignment with God in everything.
One of God’s many gifts to me was my sobriety and recovery from benzo withdrawal. Now, my gift to Him is my life. I give it to Him by rejoicing in hope, being patient, and living every moment as a prayer, and of course, literally praying often.
Paul’s life recipe is simple enough that anyone can follow it. What you end up with is a good life. A very good life, indeed.
F.R.O.G. Practice: This morning, rejoice in hope. Be mindful to slow down and not to rush anything. Be patient. All throughout the day, pray to God often. Enjoy!
