Idle hands are the Devil’s Playground

In early recovery, I am rushing around to get things done. Trying to find a job, a network of support, meetings that I like, and activities to fill my time – but then what? I found jobs, now I am waiting on start dates. I enrolled in school, and I am waiting for it to start. I found activities but they only go so far. I found a network of support people which I see every morning, but what about the rest of the day? I find myself with a lot of spare time right now and the thoughts of using are creeping back in.

Now I can understand why they say “idle hands are the devil’s playground”. Symptoms of relapse can flare up at any moment and for me, they come when everything is going great. One minute, I am thanking God for all the wonderful things he is restoring in my life, and the next minute I am fantasizing about getting high. Things are not bad, I am just bored and I have not learned to deal with downtime – yet.

So for now, the best way to deal with boredom I find is reading self-help books. Filling my mind with materials that is going to propel me further as a human being. I am what I surround myself with. I become what I believe .This is also true for what I put into my mind through books, tv, music, etc. In early recovery, we are in such an impressionable state of being, I can only surround myself with positive people. messages, songs, and books. I am rebuilding my life and my being.

It’s almost as if I am a new computer program and I am a programmer. Every piece of code I write right now will go into building this new software. Better yet, I am an artist painting a new canvas. Every stroke of the brush will go into this masterpiece, and God is my muse. I speak to Jesus as if he is my best friend and pull from him my inspiration to paint my new canvas. This new creation is beautiful and I do not want to mess it up.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

When I went through my baptism, all of the old parts of me passed away, and I was born again new. Yes, I relapsed, but I didn’t stay that way. I quickly came back to a life I knew could be beyond my wildest imagination and Jesus is helping me restore that to be even better than before.

So, loved ones, do not let boredom get you down, and stay strong. Lean on Christ and He will show you the way. His love is unconditional and He loves us all. Stay the course and prepare to have your mind blown. Today I am no longer addicted to drugs, I am addicted to Jesus. He turns my darkest moments into my brightest opportunities and if He can do it for me, He can do it for you!