Why Is Sobriety Trending?

I’m excited to share with you a bit about an experience I’ve been walking through for six years but see trending always. I believe it is important for us to take a look at this trend as Jesus followers. I’m a private, skilled coach on many levels, and I see this concept of #sobercurious, #dryjanuary and sober living within the speaking and podcasting arena. 

What Is Sober Curiousity?

I need to deal with these items based alone personal experience of being alcohol-free for six years. I do not necessarily call what I do sobriety because I believe sobriety stems from having an issue or an addiction to alcohol. If that is your prerogative, sobriety is a mandatory and essential title to embrace, accept, and live out. But for me, sobriety consists of walking in righteousness, within the ways of the Lord. Righteousness is walking in holiness, not from a spiritual standpoint. I have not set a particular time-frame on how long I’m not going to drink. So far, in six years, nothing has enticed me to set an end date to sobriety. 

One day, when my son was about five years old, he saw my downcast nature after I got here home. He saw stress. He saw overwhelm. He saw the deep sighs. The cues that any five-year-old could see. And he said, “Don’t worry, we’ll get you a glass of wine.” I remember considering, those were the words I needed to listen to in that exact moment. It hit me in another way than anything had. 

In the past, I used to be a wine rep. So giving up wine felt crazy. It didn’t even make sense that I’d quit wine and have cases of wine to sell. But I knew it was something the Lord was calling me to do. It wasn’t because I used to be seeking to change anything aside from I wanting to be emotionally available to my children. My husband and I each had alcohol influence, and alcoholic experiences as we were being raised up. It was a generational past, and we didn’t want that to be something that was going to affect our youngsters. As Christians and Jesus followers, we’re called into generational bondage breaking. About two days in, my husband said, “I see what you are doing. And I partner with you in that.” We decided to partner in it, and discover what fruit would come of this. 

What Are the Benefits of Sober Curiousity?

So, let me share what sober curiosity could potentially lead you to. 

1.Physical and Mental Wellness

It may lead you to further relational dynamics and trust not only within your own home but in addition with yourself. The self-reflection of with the ability to hear your thoughts and emotions and wrestle with those things. It’s a physical profit. Obviously, you are going to lose some calories. So that is a bonus. It also helps you sleep. I’m not doing this from a mental or a doctoral perspective, but from a spot of the Lord’s lead on my life, personally. I even have witnessed the advantages based on the fruit that’s provided to other people.

2. A Deeper Relationship with God

Avoiding drunkenness is following Scripture. Drunkenness is a sin in and of itself. Nowadays, because alcohol has change into so normalized, it is not necessarily addressed as a sin. It seems everyone’s doing it, going to the brewery on the weekend or adopting the common ‘five o’clock somewhere’ attitude. Society has normalized drinking. Even doctors prescribe a glass of wine a day.

Being of a sober mind is mentioned multiple times through the Bible and allows us to actually operate as Christ’s kids. When I’m sober-minded, I can hear from God so far more clearly. 

3. Allowing Fruits of the Spirit to Blossom in Your LIfe

Another element is the fruit of the spirit, which could be present in Galatians 5.22. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control.To witness someone with incredible self-discipline is inspiring, and it calls us higher, too! I think our fruit is not for us. The fruit we bear after we abide with Christ is for other people.

Is Sobriety a Smart Choice for You?

I’ve seen so many other families select this route and forego this thing that was really only a societal mechanism of suppression. My query to you, for those who’re interested by this, is why do you switch to alcohol? What does it do for you? You’ll often hear alcohol described as liquid courage, the thing that lets you be the most effective or more vocal version of yourself, or more fun and lighthearted. But what if, actually, it’s just one other mask? The version of yourself that you simply are intended to permit God to work on and prune, and the true courage that comes from Christ, is a possibility that you simply is perhaps avoiding by selecting something more comfortable and straightforward. And something that really depresses, not necessarily the up good memory you would like it to be.

Sobriety allows us to have a transparent reference to God. Clear memories, connections, and intimacy. We get to embrace amazing recent vulnerable experiences and emotional relationships with others. We develop emotional intelligence to know that the explanation, for instance, we crave alcohol could also be because we’re sad, offended, overwhelmed or frustrated. Recognizing that emotion and with the ability to process it soberly is an indication of spiritual maturity. To give you the option to process our emotions after which select a greater option of managing them, which is selecting Christ. 

Jesus is the Living Water. He is the hydration. He is the living element that is required for our body. We are created with the intention to be a representative of the very thing he calls us to: a fountain of life-giving water, not a drain, to cite considered one of my favorite Christian movies, “The Forge.”

Spiritual readiness can also be essential. Remember the ten women, the ten bridesmaids with the lampstands from the Bible, and the five who let their oil run out and fell asleep. That shouldn’t be the way in which I need to have my reunion with Christ. I need to be fully sober-minded and awake. I need to be spiritually ready, and I do know he wants that for me. Another essential quality that requires sober clarity to being watchful. We’re called watchmen for a reason: to be on guard. The enemy is attempting to kill, steal, and destroy and be like a lion on the prowl around us, if I’m not sober-minded, I do not have that spiritual readiness. I am unable to do plenty of things. It’s a component of our calling as Christians is to aim to be physically and emotionally healthy. We are called to know and deepen relationships. Being sober-minded promotes accountability with others to give you the option to call you into sobriety and align your actions with the religion. 

Sobriety has deepened my testimony in so some ways, allowing me to rely fully on God moderately than on something that the world desires to offer. We are made to be on this planet but not of the world. And if something is trending, I’d encourage you to check out the why, but more so importantly, take a look at it through the lens of the Lord. I hope that is something that does not just trend for a month or a fasting window, but that may trend for eternity for you and yours. I’m so expectant to see what it can do in your life. I am unable to wait to listen to your testimonies.

I pray that this blesses you to get curious and ask questions. That’s what Jesus did. And he’s asking you immediately, why do you run to that when I’m here waiting?

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Yana Tikhonova