A Simple Yet profound way to find freedom in faith powered action!
James: The Faith Journey Life Hack
Could your recovery or your faith journey use a “life hack?” The Biblical Book of James is a wonderful book from the Bible for Folks in recovery. It is a New Testament book of assorted wisdom, much like the Book of Proverbs is in the Old Testament. It is also a book that is far more focused on the practical and far less on the philosophical or less tangible aspects of the Christian Faith. It also has the amazing benefit of being a relatively short book of only five chapters even though the book is stuffed with information to process.
What I mean is it is easy to read, easy to understand, and gets to the point with clear instructions. Totally a life hack.
The practical and compact nature of this little book of Christian wisdom is perfect for the practical-minded and, more importantly, as a part of any recovery program. I mention “practical” because many people in recovery have some level of faith, but recovery is elusive at best. Many get through a ton of Bible studies, services, and discussions with people who are at higher levels of faith and still are left with questions like: “…so what does that mean for me?” “What can I do to live differently?” “I accepted Christ, went to church, Bible study, volunteered in ministry, and I am still kind of the same with the same cravings and urges; what now?
This small book in the Bible is the answer to all that. Think about it, a book in the Bible that is easy to read and easy to follow, is only five short chapters, and can give you practical changes for recovery. What’s not to like?
Spiritual Growth from The Foundation of the Church
The Book of James is believed to be the first book written that is in the New Testament and is believed to have been written seven to fifteen years after the death of Jesus by his brother Ya’akov (in English, we usually call him James – which is a translation from the Greek “Iakób” [Ἰακώβ]).
As the earliest book of the New Testament (which was really a letter), that means that it was written before the rest of the New Testament existed. This also means that newly converted Christians would have relied solely on the Old Testament and this practical letter to understand how to live as a believer and what actions to take with their newfound faith.
Another important note is that the intended audience of this book is not non-believers or the “unsaved” but rather those who already have faith in Christ and are seeking guidance on the question of “What now?”
There were no megachurches with giant crosses, coffee shops, and a pastor, no Catholic priests under stained glass windows and giant crucifixes, not even small storefront churches with energetic volunteer pastors and small but loud congregations. It was attending Jewish temple services; then the church was extended to a small prayer service in a home, eating and meeting each other’s needs, and a lot of persecution for being a believer.
45 and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This was also a letter to believers that were would-be overcomers exhorting them to persevere. These key ideas: overcoming and persevering, are central ideas necessary for recovery.
The message of this little book of the Bible, and my message as well is that you can make it no matter how hard the journey gets!
The Importance and Role of Faith in Recovery and Healing
I always describe a person in recovery in a parable of sorts. A person in recovery is like a car with four flat tires. If you only inflate one tire, you haven’t fixed the car, or is it going anywhere? If you keep inflating that tire more and more (even if it doesn’t blow up), you still cannot drive the car without doing terrible damage to the rest of the car. If you inflate two or even three tires, you still will have terrible problems with the one you have not inflated and all the areas that touch the still deflated tire. Eventually, the uninflated tire may destroy the whole car anyway, making the inflating of the other tires semi-pointless. If you can inflate all four tires, now you have something.
Not every person in recovery is the same. The results and problems that result from various addictions and alcoholism may often look similar but every person arrives at this point in very different ways and, behind the curtain, may have very different things going on. Some people have physical challenges or some level of physical self-loathing that is at the core of their challenges with addiction. Some people have other serious psychological issues that underlie their challenges with addiction. Some have suffered or are suffering from serious social disorders or some form of social oppression at the core of their challenges. Some have spiritual oppression or spiritual lack that is at the core of their challenges. But for many, if not for most, it is a combination of varying levels of all of these.
Those are the four tires I am speaking of. Biological, psychological, social, and spiritual. I am not one of those “Magic Bullet,” one thing that fixes everything in recovery, folks. I would say a combination of recovery resources is needed for most of us.
I am also saying that this site exploring the Book of James directly from a recovery perspective can be a contributor to an individual’s recovery. This ongoing discourse on the Book of James can be an important tool in the toolbox that makes up your spiritual resources or that can assist you in filling your spiritual tire.
Remember, however, that information is not recovery. Action and change based on that information can lead to recovery, but the information itself is only a starting point.
You have to take action to inflate those tires, and that action has to be sustained to keep those tires inflated. Have faith, and this tiny book at the back of your Bible can give you the actions for your faith journey in a short and sweet way (honestly, more of a short but in-your-face way).