DEVOTIONAL INSIGHTS & REFLECTIONS

When Silence is a Tool - December 30

Good morning! I need to give you a little background information today.

I'm involved in Al-Anon which is a sister program to AA. While AA is a mutual support program for alcoholics, Al-Anon is a mutual support program for families and friends of alcoholics. In Al-Anon we learn alcoholism is a disease that we didn't cause, cannot cure and cannot control. As alcoholics learn to focus on themselves and staying sober in AA by practicing the Twelve Steps, in Al-Anon we learn to focus on ourselves while practicing the Twelve Steps. With practice, we learn we do have a measure of control over our own attitudes and behaviors, another form of one-day-at-a-time "sobriety" if you will.

Last night I attended an Al-Anon meeting and the topic was "new beginnings." Many meetings, if not all, begin with a moment of silence followed by the serenity prayer. In Al-Anon there is a continuous rotation of leadership in every group meeting so as to avoid "dominance," which is one of the three obstacles to success in the program. There is no competition in Al-Anon. (The three obstacles to success in Al-Anon are: dominance, discussion of religion, and gossip.)

Outside of Al-Anon, I have been struggling with how to extricate myself from conversations tending toward gossip, meddling and back-biting and whether or not that means extricating myself from a "Christian friend."

Last night, I picked up a tool and that is "a moment of silence." It's been there all along, I just didn't pick it up outside of a meeting. Going forward, I will ask for a moment of silence every time conversation goes awry; and during that moment, I will pray.

While Jesus walked the earth and ministered to the needs of the people through teaching, praying for the sick and feeding the multitudes, He always found it necessary to retreat for a time of rest and communion with His Father. If this was necessary for the Lord Jesus Christ, certainly it is important for us as well.

And even now in heaven, Jesus is known as the Great Intercessor. He ever liveth to make intercession for the saints. Know that even when no one else is praying for you, the Lord of Hosts is praying for you. If God is for us, who can be against us?

May God be with us as we prepare to enter 2017!