Life's Healing Choices.

Book Review.

Baker, John.  Life’s Healing Choices.  Freedom from your hurts, hang-ups, and habits.  Howard Books. 2007.

J.B.- founder of Celebrate Recovery.  Associate pastor at Saddleback.

Comment.  Henry.

John has developed a program of ‘recovery’ at Saddleback that has benefitted many.  Over 400,000 have completed the program.  This book describes that program and is probably used as a guide for those who done the program.  It focuses on eight ‘choices’ that have their bases in the Sermon on the Mount. 

To refuse change is part of human nature.  The problem with that nature is that it is actually a “sin nature.” (14)  It continually attempts to be in control, playing God.  Failure to accomplish our self-determined goals results in “fear, fatigue, frustration and failure.” (18)

The first choice Jesus deals with in the Sermon on the Mount is the choice to admit our need, a reality choice.  “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor.”  The second choice is the choice to get help.  There is hope.  God uses grief and pain to bring us to that choice.  The third choice has to do with “letting go and making a commitment.” (71)  Pride, guilt, fear, worry and doubt hold us back.  Coming clean and doing housecleaning is the fourth choice.

The fifth choice is the choice to commit and engage in transformation.  Such a choice deals with “character defects.” (112)  The sixth choice is about relationships and how they can be raised to the level they should be.  This requires forgiveness and making amends.  The seventh choice focuses on growth and the habit(s) of daily, continual self-examination through Bible reading and prayer.  The result will be momentum which will prevent the relapses of poor choices.  The final choice is the “Recycling Pain, the sharing choice.”  Our strength is in our weakness. 

henrydirksen.blogspot.com