Home from REHAB, No More Bubble!
The Journey of Returning Home From Rehab
I have been home for almost three days now. While I was a student at S2L Recovery in Middle Tennessee, one of the things I heard most from staff and alumni was how difficult it is to stay diligent once you leave “the bubble.” Already, I have found this to be true. At S2L there are seven simple principles taught which can be found inside the pages of Lost and Found: Recovery in Christ. Inside of these teachings are four pillars:
- Pray
- Read your Bible
- Fellowship with good people
- Serve others
I should clarify although these are simple in principle and they are much harder in the application. As recovering addicts we want to stay true to these four disciplines, however, upon departure from a rehabilitation program, distractions come at you exponentially high rate. If you ask students who have been through a program repeatedly what they were lacking when they went back out into the real world, the answer is almost unanimously – lack of diligence, not lack of desire.
So, I ask myself, how do I maintain my discipline in these areas? How do I avoid or sift through the distractions and prioritize things? Before coming to S2L Recovery, I would often ignore details in my life. However, when we brush the small things off that require our attention, often the more important things in our lives begin to crumble. Indeed, the big things are often held together by the smaller things. Not just metaphorically, but literally. It is the cement between the bricks that hold a house together. You can’t have a piece of fabric without string. Why shouldn’t this apply to the tasks in our everyday lives?
Learning to Conquer the Distractions After Rehab
I am aware of what I need to do on a daily basis to continue in a life with Christ and sustain from drugs and/or alcohol, but if I do not implement those four pillars, I need to take a look at my priorities. It takes more than just a desire. I need to consistently tend to the details of my life. To do lists can be helpful, but only if you complete the tasks on the list. Personally, I need more than a to-do list. In my own life, it becomes more and more apparent how many bad habits I had and still have apart from drugs and alcohol. I never made my bed, I would wake up and scroll through social media, news headlines, and my hygiene even suffered.
Tending to the small things in my life now starts with making the bed when I wake up. As the director of S2L Recovery often says, “If you make your bed when you get up, you have already accomplished something for the day.” It is a small detail, but it is a small detail that can set the tone and pace for your entire day. Now instead of laying in bed all morning, I am up with a made bed, and I have the motivation to pray to God and to read his Word.
Believe me, if making your bed can set the tone for your day, talking with the Lord can transform your day. If you’re struggling to do the big things in your everyday life, then pay attention to the details that you have prioritized and continue down the path of recovery.
S2L Recovery Providing Faith-Based Rehabilitation Programs in Middle TN
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, it’s time to take the step in a full recovery. Leading a Christian rehabilitation center has allowed S2L Recovery to changes lives and fulfill the word of the Lord. Please contact us today and let us help you discover peace through recovery and God.
“We want each of you to stay diligent until the very end, so that your hope may be fully assured” – Hebrews 6:11
