Psalm 32 says, “Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—you get a fresh start, your slate’s wiped clean. Count yourself lucky—God holds nothing against you and you’re holding nothing back from him. When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up. Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll make a clean breast of my failures to God. Suddenly the pressure was gone—my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we’ll be on high ground, untouched. God’s my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck. Let me give you some good advice; I’m looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.” God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. Celebrate God. Sing together—everyone! All your honest hearts, raise the roof”

After reading this passage I discovered something. David went to Celebrate Recovery. David talks about how we can get a fresh start and a clean slate. Every Monday evening, I am greeted by folks who are a mess like me. We all have something in common, we are seeking that clean slate.

There are men and women who battle with sexual issues, drug addictions, depression, divorce, and other hurts, habits, and hang-ups in their lives. It is such a great evening for me. Why? Because I love being with my family. We, as David said, “Count ourselves lucky – God holds nothing against us.

We learn from each other and we hold each other accountable as we travel our journeys together. We learn that we are not to hold anything back and let God totally change and reconstruct our lives. David, said the things he held inside of himself killed him, his “bones turned to powder”.

When David said he admitted his problems to God his pressure was gone – his sin was dissolved, and his sin disappeared. Wow, that is the definition of stepping out of denial and getting off the “hamster wheel” of insanity. Being “insane” is defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. I don’t know about you, but I have lived on the hamster wheel and I am so glad I got off.

David, says that he desires to give his readers some good advice. He tells us not to be stubborn like a mule and to stay on track. We, as people, are so hard-headed. Well, I may be only speaking about myself, but I know we try to do life on our own. We try to face and conquer our hurts, habits, and hang-ups alone.

I have met some who I know have issues in their lives, but they would not admit it to anyone. They believe they have their struggles hid from everyone, but people know because we cannot hide messiness. We can try and sweep it under a rug, but it will be discovered. Heed David’s advice, “: “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.”

David once again tells us, God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. Did you see that? People who go against what God says, stay in trouble. How is life working out for you when you are defying Him? I will say along with David, probably not so well. However, if we affirm God’s love and strength in our lives we will be loved every time we turn around.

I must say, since I have gotten my life back on track and I know that God is in control of my life, I know I am loved. When I was on the run from God and I denied His help in my life I really woke up every day believing that no one cared about me and God was against me. There may be some reading this right now who believe that God is against them in this life. The Bible says, “If God is for us, who can be against us.” I know He is for me and if you would stop being a God denier then you would know He was for you as well.

I love the last sentences in Psalm 32. It says, “Celebrate God. Sing together—everyone! All your honest hearts, raise the roof”. Raise the roof! You know, since I came to God and asked Him for healing, every day I feel like raising the roof! He is changing my life. Am I perfect? Well, now that you asked… No! I am not perfect. I used to think I was and that did not work out at all for me.

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty there is nothing that my God can’t do! He is healing me and I am so glad that He is. He is working on me when He could have given up. But when I stepped off the hamster wheel and admitted my issues He began the process of working on me. Celebrate Recovery is a place of safety and healing and I am so glad that David visited it so that he could tell me about it.

Seriously, David never went to Celebrate Recovery, but he knew the principles of how people can get well. He shared them and CR has taken them and asked us to apply them to our personal lives. Do you need some healing today? If you do, then Celebrate Recovery is for you. If God is working on your life, then celebrate and raise the roof for Him. Get some praise going up in your life.