Celebrate Recovery Choice 2

Hyunjin Lee
Nov 11, 2025
4 min read

Earnestly Believe That God Exists, That I Matter to Him, and That He Has the Power to Help Me Recover

“Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” — Philippians 2:13

Understanding Step 2

No matter how hard we try to keep everything under control, we eventually discover that we are powerless to control our tendency to do wrong and that our lives are unmanageable. Step 2 calls us to stop playing God and start receiving God’s power.

We begin to experience two of God’s blessings in disguise: grief and pain—both divine tools to lead us toward healing.

1. Grief: God’s Pathway to Comfort

When we carry a hurt for too long, we begin to identify with that hurt and see ourselves as victims. Grieving means mourning our past mistakes, our losses, and even the illusion of control we once thought we had. Facing that truth feels like loss—but it’s the first step toward comfort and freedom.

Mourning is what happens when we finally face the truth of Step 1: admitting that we are powerless. Mourning opens the pathway to comfort, hope, and God’s healing presence.

2. Pain: God’s Antidote for Denial

Pain is not punishment—it’s God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world. It tells us that something is seriously wrong and needs attention. But instead of dealing with the source, we often try to silence it—with work, people, food, alcohol, or anything that numbs the alarm. Ignoring pain is like turning off a fire alarm while the house burns. God doesn’t always cause pain, but He allows it to draw us near, to show us our need for His power and mercy. To deny your pain is to refuse God’s power to help you recover. Healing begins when we confront our pain and stop excusing or blaming others.

God’s Denial Busters

God uses three things to break through our denial:

Crisis – sudden loss, illness, or heartbreak
Confrontation – truth spoken by others
Catastrophe – the collapse of what we’ve built on self-reliance

Through these, God lovingly leads us to admit: “There is a power greater than me, and there is hope.”

Three Magnificent Truths About God

God Exists It takes more faith not to believe in a Creator than to believe in one. Where there is design, there is a Designer. Where there is creation, there is a Creator.
I Matter to Him God knows everything about you—your tears, your struggles, your secrets—and still loves you deeply.
“You have kept a record of my tears.” — Psalm 56:8He is compassionate, aware, and near to the brokenhearted.
He Has the Power to Help Me If God can raise Jesus from the dead, He can resurrect your hope, heal your relationships, and set you free from addiction, guilt, and shame.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” — Luke 18:27

God’s Triple Power Surge

When we plug into God’s power, we receive:

Power – to break habits and face what we can’t handle alone.
Love – to form genuine, healing relationships.
Self-Control – to live under Christ’s leadership and find true stability.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.” — 2 Timothy 1:7

Making the Power Connection: Believe and Receive

Believing is not enough; we must choose to plug into God’s power.

A simple, heartfelt prayer can open the door to transformation:

“Jesus Christ, put your Spirit in me. Help! I need Your power in my life.”

When you are ready to receive God’s power, pray:

“God, make me willing to be willing to change.”

Step 2 Prayer

Dear God, Please help me not to ignore the pain You’re using to alert me to my need for help. I confess that I’ve often denied my pain and refused Your help. I’m ready to face the truth and trust You to care for me.I need Your power to break habits I can’t break, to do what I know is right, and to move beyond my past. Fill me with Your love so I can forgive others and accept real intimacy—with You and with people. I surrender control and ask You to give me power, love, and self-control through Christ Jesus. Amen.