40 Days to Awaken Your Sober MindSample

Many of us grew up with a black-and-white view of alcohol: either you have a problem or you don’t. But that mindset leaves a lot of us stuck in the middle and in the gray area. You’re not hitting rock bottom. You’re managing life well on the outside. But on the inside, there’s a growing sense that something is out of alignment with God’s best.

You don’t need a dramatic breakdown to begin making changes. Recognizing you’re in the gray is powerful. It means you’re awake. It means you’re trusting God's truth over the world’s narrative. It means you’re no longer leaning on your own understanding but inviting Him to lead.

John 8:32 tells us that truth brings freedom. Truth is more than a concept; it’s a person. The Holy Spirit is our counselor and lives in our hearts, pouring forth wisdom day and night. When we start aligning our minds with God’s truth, we experience real freedom. Not just freedom from alcohol, but freedom from the shame, guilt, and lies that kept us in cycles of emotional hiding. When we’re stuck in the cycle of relying on unhealthy ways to ‘eject' from pressure and performance, we end up suffering from the pain of duplicity. This “double mind” causes us to believe the lies of the enemy and hide due to our shame. Of course, that causes more of the same, and the pit becomes deeper. The enemy takes advantage of us when we’re weary, isolated, and/or believing that anything or anyone outside of Jesus will ever truly satisfy us. The lie from the enemy is that we can’t cope, find comfort, or connect without something external.

Proverbs 3 reminds us to trust God even when we can’t clearly define our struggle. You’re not alone in the gray area, and you don’t have to stay there. This is a starting point, not a shame space. For years, I was asking myself the wrong question, “Is it bad enough?” and then I started asking myself the better question, “Is it good enough? Is my relationship with alcohol a deposit or a withdrawal?” I believe God wants us to experience life and His love in technicolor, not through a dull haze.

Prayer:
God, help me see clearly. Show me the truth about how alcohol is affecting me, and give me courage to move forward and embrace freedom.

Journal Prompt:
How would you describe your relationship with alcohol? What gray-area patterns do you notice? Remember, be honest and kind with yourself.