Worth Sharing

So there are some things that happen during the day that I feel needs to be shared. As I was working with a client this morning and we were discussing his spiritual confusion that has caused as well as stemmed from his addiction to illicit drugs. This client was saying something that I have heard several times before from other clients. He was discussing the fact that when he was going through opiate withdrawals and in the floor of his bathroom he cried out to God to help him and relieve his pain. He went on to discuss the fact that he now finds himself angry at God for not answering that prayer at that time and for his having to come for treatment and therapy. He discussed the fact that he believes but that he also does not believe.

At this statement I stopped him and began discussing the chaos that can ensue from being stuck between belief in a higher power and disbelief. Chaos in life is one element that leads to addictive behavior and illicit substance abuse (click here to view a slide show regarding the elements of addiction). As I discussed how this lack of resolve in his spiritual life is keeping chaos in his life and how dangerous this is, he stopped me. He said to me, "I just thought of something. Coming here was the answer to my prayer. I have never realized that before." I was speechless at this insight my client had just shown. So much so that I immediately dismissed him. I told him to leave my office and to leave that thought open the rest of the day. There was nothing that he and I could have done the rest of that session that would have mattered more.

I hope that we all can learn from this client. No, we don't always get exactly what we want when we pray but God does always answer our prayers.