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Celebrate Recovery Choice 7


Choice 7: Maintaining Momentum – The Growth Choice

Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Recovery doesn’t end with insight. It requires maintenance. If we don’t stay alert, we can easily drift back into old self-defeating patterns. This drift is called relapse.


The Predictable Pattern of Relapse

Phase 1: Complacency

We get comfortable. One day we stop praying about our struggles. Then we stop working on them. Growth slows. Guard drops.

Phase 2: Confusion

We begin to minimize our past.“Maybe it wasn’t that bad.”“Maybe I can handle this myself.”Reality gets fuzzy, and we start believing we can control what once controlled us.

Phase 3: Compromise

We return to the places, situations, and people that put us at risk. We re-enter the environment that once fueled the problem.

Phase 4: Catastrophe

The acting-out moment isn’t the beginning—it’s the result. Catastrophe starts back at Phase 1 with complacency. By the time the behavior happens, relapse has already been unfolding.


The Causes of Relapse

1. Reverting to Our Own Willpower

Early success can make us feel invincible. We start believing we can handle everything on our own. That’s when we slip.

2. Ignoring One of the Choices

We didn’t get into this mess overnight, and we won’t get out overnight. Skipping steps leads to setbacks.

3. Trying to Recover Without Support

Isolation is dangerous.“Two people are better than one… If one falls, the other can help him up.”Support is not optional. Recovery cannot be maintained alone.

4. Becoming Prideful

Pride comes before destruction. If we think we’re standing firm, that’s the moment we’re most likely to fall. Staying humble keeps us grounded and connected to God’s strength.


New Habits That Sustain Recovery

Habit 1: Evaluation

What to Evaluate

Physical:

  • What is my body telling me?

  • Am I hungry, tired, stressed, or fatigued?

Emotional (H.E.A.R.T. Check):

  • H – Am I hurting?

  • E – Am I exhausted?

  • A – Am I angry?

  • R – Do I resent anyone?

  • T – Am I tense?

Relational:

  • Am I at peace with everyone?

  • Is someone living “rent-free” in my mind?

  • Do I need to forgive or make amends?

Spiritual:

  • Am I relying on God?

  • Have I disconnected from my most important lifeline?

Why Evaluate

Self-evaluation isn’t only for identifying shortcomings. It’s also for celebrating progress—every victory, no matter how small.

When to Evaluate

Spot Check Evaluation: Sometimes the “garbage” in our heart needs to be taken out more than once a day. If we let it pile up, life starts to stink.

Daily Review: At the end of the day, quietly review:

  • Things I did well today

  • Things I messed up today

  • How I responded

Annual Checkup: A deep-clean once a year. Review your relationships, priorities, integrity, mind, body, family, church, and overall spiritual direction.

Habit 2: Meditation

How to Meditate

Reverse Worry: If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate.

Worry = negative meditation.

Meditation = focusing on God’s truth repeatedly.

Listening: Meditation slows us down enough to hear God’s direction. Busyness suffocates spiritual growth. Listening creates strength.

Memorization: Scripture strengthens us and protects us from relapse. God’s Word is the owner’s manual for life.

The Blessings of Meditation

  • Fruit in season

  • Health

  • Prosperity

  • Stability

Habit 3: Prayer

You can pray about anything. Jesus gave us a model in the Lord’s Prayer—not a script, but a structure.

When you practice evaluation, meditation, and prayer, you choose life, health, and long-term recovery.


Make the Choice

Action 1: Pray About It

“God, help me to daily spend time with You. I know my time with You is my best defense against relapse and my best path to growth. Build a hedge of protection around me. Amen.”

Action 2: Write About It

Physical: What is your body signaling?

Emotional: Use the H.E.A.R.T. check. Write honestly—don’t stuff your feelings.

Relational: Who do you need to forgive? Do you need to make amends? Are you in conflict and avoiding responsibility?

Spiritual: Where am I with God today? What step takes me to the next level?

Action 3: Share About It

Share your evaluation and journal with your accountability partner. Let them:

  • Help you see patterns

  • Call out old habits resurfacing

  • Pray with you

  • Encourage amends where needed

Accountability protects you from relapse and strengthens your walk.




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