Most of us who are in recovery will have faced, or been very close to facing, relapse back into an unhelpful and/or unhealthy habit, that we thought we had broken free from. This can feel quite devastating at the time and may even convince us that we will never make it to full recovery and healing.
But we would be wrong!
The good news we find in working the 8 principles of Celebrate Recovery is that we come to understand that relapse, or being tempted to relapse, does not make us bad, it makes us human!
In my experience, however, relapse doesn’t start at the moment we’re tempted to return to the habit, relationship or substance – it starts way before that when we start to get complacent and think we don’t need to put as much effort into working the principles and tools that keep us healthy, or to keep attending meetings and connecting with the people around us who we can be honest with. In fact, the Bible clearly urges us ‘If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall’ (1 Corinthians 10:12)
So the antidote to this, or relapse prevention strategy, is to continue making time – EVERY DAY – to pray, read God’s word and to do a health-check to see how we are doing (honestly!). It is far better to spot a decline in attitude, or any returning (or even new) resentments, triggers or struggles and work on them promptly rather than allow ourselves to drift towards relapse and the consequences that will inevitably follow. This is especially important around specific dates / anniversaries / events that are likely to be a struggle for us.
The Bible encourages us in Lamentations 3:40 to ‘Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord’ – these are great words designed to keep us healthy, safe and well, and are an open invitation to regularly check ourselves for anything that is, or is likely to, cause us to fall.
However, if relapse does occur – and it may do – we can return to the Lord as He encourages us to, and seek His help to get back on track – back to the tools we know work well for us and back into a safe community where we can receive the support and accountability to keep moving forward. In practice, this simply means doing the next right thing, one decision at a time.
In my years of doing Celebrate Recovery, I have seen many people come back from relapse and go on to be even stronger and more determined, with a renewed understanding that their recovery is worth the effort of keeping to this lifelong lifestyle of working the Celebrate Recovery principles and leaning into the strength and power of their Higher Power, Jesus.
There is a saying ‘the comeback is greater than the setback’ and one thing is certain, if God has helped others back from relapse, He can do it for you and me!
Please reach out for help.
