Overcoming Rock Bottom: The Power of Meekness and Surrender

 

Photo by Martin Dawson on Unsplash

The journey of meekness and humility, as described in Matthew 5:5, often starts with moments of deep brokenness, leading to a recognition of the need for change and dependence on God. Embracing gentleness and kindness, and accepting what is beyond our control, enables us to inherit a life of strength, courage, and spiritual well-being.

Becoming meek and humble, as described in Matthew 5:5—"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth"—is a profound journey that often begins with moments of profound brokenness. Many individuals, me included, have experienced a "rock bottom" that brings us face-to-face with the consequences of our actions, especially when it comes to substance use. This rock bottom is a pivotal moment that forces us to confront our own spiritual destitution and the significant losses we've incurred—be it in relationships, health, or freedom.

Recognizing and reaching this "rock bottom" is often what motivates us to change. It is in this moment of awakening that we are brought to a place of humility and meekness. We begin to understand that our strength comes not from our own will but from a Higher Power. This Higher Power, with its grace, mercy, and love, guides us as we acknowledge our need and dependence on a wisdom greater than our own.

Meekness, then, becomes more than just a state of being. It means embracing gentleness and kindness towards us and others. It means recognizing our limitations and understanding that not everything is within our control. This acceptance is beautifully encapsulated in the prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

By turning and trusting in our Higher Power, we begin to inherit an abundant life full of strength, courage, and emotional well-being. This inheritance extends to healthier relationships, improved finances, and a richer spiritual life. But it is crucial to remain in a state of humility and meekness, for pride can easily lead us back to our downfall.

Reflecting on my own experience, I've come to realize that the fall itself and the negative consequences of substance use are less significant than what follows. What truly matters is our ability to reach out to our Higher Power and regain our lives through His control, mercy, and grace. The Beatitudes, in my study and understanding, lay out this path of spiritual growth and guide us towards spiritual perfection.

Today's thoughtful meditation for me is to focus on what brought me to humility and to develop a life rooted in gentleness and kindness toward myself and others. It's this journey of extending outward toward our Higher Power that helps bring about lasting change and spiritual fulfillment.

Having Become Meek and Humble

 

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth

~ Matthew 5:5 ~

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Many people share their stories of brokenness. How their substance use caused significant loss in their relationships with family, co-workers, loss of employment, loss of health, and even loss of one's freedom. They refer to this moment of awakening to spiritual destitution, reproach, and decay as their "rock bottom." In some ways, a person may express it in this manner:

It was not until I hit rock bottom that I realized I had a problem

Whatever your personal rock bottom is, it was the motivating factor to bring about change. It is what motivated you to engage in recovery. However, what we do not understand (and for that matter, realize) is that our rock bottom really is the catalyst that brought us to a place of humility and meekness. Because of our significant loss and negative impact substance use has had on our lives; we were brought to a place of being humble.

The blessings of our recovery come when we exercise strength through our Higher Power and come under His control. We demonstrate the grace, the mercy, and the love of our Higher Power as we recognize our need and dependence on His wisdom. It is through our experience of rock bottom that we have come to the end of our own self will and desire and realize we have a greater power invested in rescuing us. We need only to submit to His will. To do this, we are humbled and meek.

Meekness also means that we become gentle and kind toward our own sense of being. We are gentler and kinder towards others. Not by our own volition. Through the kindness and gentleness and grace our Higher Power invests within our own soul.

We also, through our own meekness and humility, come to recognize what we are capable of changing and what is beyond our control to change. Through it, we gain wisdom and courage:

God, Grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

What we inherit, by turning and trusting in our Higher Power (as we may understand), is the abundant life and experience this world may offer to us. We inherit blessings of strength, courage, ability to bring under control our own sense of emotional and well-being. We may start inheriting good health and wellness. Through meekness and humility, we also inherit healthy relationships with other people. Our own finances may bless us with the means to maintain a healthy and economic lifestyle. Even our own since of spirituality increases and we inherit richer and more fulfilling spiritual growth.

The challenge is to remain in a state of humility and meekness, lest pride brings us back to what may cause our own downfall.

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Today's Thoughtful Meditation

I will focus on what brought me to a place of humility and develop a life based on being gentle and kind toward self and others. Through my own experience, it was not the fall that mattered, nor the negative consequences from my substance use: What matters is my ability to extend out toward my Higher Power and regain my life back through his control and mercy and grace.