Improving One's Palate

Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in Him!” ~CSB

I get questioned by those going through alcohol addiction about my confidence in God. I tell them I understand their confusion because I was once in their position. We have lived our lives believing in and embracing what we ‘see’ as truth. Becoming a Christian requires us to embrace what we cannot see, and that is hard at first. 

This is why it is important to lean on the Holy Spirit. The spirit not only communicates to God for you, it will also communicate to you and give you direction. For example, the spirit will allow you to understand that when you are outside, you will feel the wind blow against your skin. Even though you do not see it, you know the wind is there. This happened to me during my struggle with alcohol. God knew my problem was too great for me to deal with on my own. I had to give my problem to Him, but I didn’t know how. God connected with me through the book of Deuteronomy 30:11-20. The question was given to me, did I want to live or die? 

At the time, I did not understand the question. Really, I couldn't bring myself to even ask God to stop drinking. My flesh was too strong and it made me resist the call to the Lord for help. But the Holy Spirit knew my heart and God’s plan for my life. I didn’t know it but the Lord knew I would not be able to answer yet. He just gave me the question so that I might be prepared for what was about to happen to me.

A few days later I was hit by a truck while riding my motorcycle down the interstate. It was when the medical team was wheeling me into the first of eight surgeries when I could finally answer God’s question. I remember crying out to the Lord saying, “I choose life! Whatever you want me to do, I choose life, Lord!” And that is when God healed me. He not only allowed me to keep my leg that was severed as a result of the accident, but He took away that craving of alcohol within me. I no longer had that taste for alcohol in my system. Instead my palate improved. In this miracle I tasted the power of God’s healing, forgiveness and love!

It is because of this new taste, my confidence in the Lord is strong. Confidence in God that He is bigger than anything this world can throw in our lives. Think back and search for God’s power in your life. Know that He loves us so much that He sacrificed His One and Only Son for us to have eternal life! If you haven’t experienced that power yet, keep living. God is waiting for you to call to Him. He will do the same for you as He has done and is still doing for me and countless others. Because of His love for us, our refuge in Him is not in vain.

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