Saying Good-bye

Saying Good-bye

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. 1 John 5:12

“Hey, Dr. Anderson,” George said. “You know how you’ve been encouraging me to seek God through all this? I want you to know, I got baptized last Sunday.”

I was happy to hear the news, but from the smell of alcohol on George’s jacket, I had concerns about the true condition of his life. George’s son had died in a car accident four years earlier, and the aftermath had been painful for George and his family.

Alcoholism can sneak up on a person, and I saw the danger signs with George. He had started out having a nightcap to help him fall asleep, but it didn’t quite help. So he tried two drinks before bed. But the more he drank, the worse things got—strengthening rather than eliminating his feelings of sorrow.

When I asked how many drinks he had each day, he said four or five, but when we got the results of his liver function test, they revealed that he was drinking far more than he would admit. I decided to tackle it head-on.

“George, I’m happy you were baptized and that you have a closer relationship with Jesus. But I know you’re drinking more than you’ve said. I also know that, with God’s help and the resources I can provide, you can stop drinking and conquer the demons that keep you awake at night.”

George hung his head. “You’re right. My drinking is out of control. Sometimes at night, I wake up with the shakes. I don’t want to do this anymore. How can I quit?”

“You’ve already taken the first step on the road to recovery by admitting to yourself that you have a problem. The good news is that Jesus will also be a friend you can lean on as you quit drinking. I’ll help you get through the delirium tremens, and I can also prescribe medication to stop your urge to drink.”

George did as he was told, leaning on Jesus when things got hard. Six months later, he earned his six-month token from AA, and his health was restored to what it had been before his son’s accident. As he got healthier, he was able to say good-bye to his son and begin to live his life for Jesus, the Son of God.

TODAY’S RX

Jesus is a faithful friend in all kinds of adversity.

Jesus, I lean on you today for the strength I need. You are more than just my Savior; you’re a faithful friend. I pray for your support to keep me upright in the midst of my pain.