The Silent Haunting Fear in Secular Recovery That No one Wants to Talk About

In secular recovery circles, there’s a silent, ever-present fear that haunts even the most well-meaning efforts to stay clean: the fear of relapse. The notorious 12-steps programs, whether secular or not, promotes this fear in a horrifically powerful way.

No matter how many steps you take, how many meetings you attend, or how many days you’ve been sober, this fear lingers in the background like a shadow. It whispers, “What if I fall again? What if I lose everything again? What if I’m never truly free?” Why these fears constantly plague the secular recovery groups is because they force each and every participant to emphatically state they they are addicts and will always be addicts… even when they are sober. So, since each person has to state that, they are already indoctrinated to keep going from using to sobriety like a revolving door.

In secular recovery, relapse is often seen as inevitable. You’re taught to manage your addiction, to cope with it, to accept that it’s a part of you for the rest of your life. You carry the undeserved label: addict for life. Hope becomes fear, often rooted in self-will, disease oriented accountability partners, and human strength.

In faith-based recovery, fear meets Jesus—and self destructs!

Fear Has No Place Where Christ Reigns

The Word of God tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Jesus doesn’t teach us to manage our sin… He destroys it. He doesn’t call us to cope with chains… He breaks them.

When you completely surrender your life to Christ, you are not labeled or victimized by your past. You are not called an addict. You are called redeemed, forgiven, and free. Where in Scripture does Jesus heal someone and then tells them they’re going to keep getting unhealed throughout the rest of their lives???

John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Your freedom is not“ on and off freedom… it’s forever free! It’s not managing your sin, it’s “Free indeed.

The Root of the Fear

The fear of relapse in secular recovery is rooted in the belief that your strength is not enough, and that’s true. It isn’t. But in faith based recovery, we know from Scripture that Jesus is more than enough.

Secular recovery bases everything on human effort, behavior modification, and psychological tools. In other words, a lot of ‘BS’. Faith-based recovery rests on a new heart, a renewed mind, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 36:26 says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” That’s not a temporary fix. That’s a total transformation that NEVER gets undone!

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Secular recovery often teaches you to fear relapse so much that fear itself becomes your driving force. (Read that again!) However, the Bible teaches us in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”

When you walk with Jesus, you are no longer driven by fear. You are led by love, peace, and the assurance of His victory at the cross.

You don’t wake up each day wondering if you’ll fall. You wake up resting in Christ, knowing that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6, below).

“… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”

In summary, in secular recovery, fear is a constant companion. In Christ, fear is cast out, and freedom is complete. You are not called to live in dread of the next slip; you are called to the certainty of freedom by the King of Kings. HaleluYah!

Have a blessed rest of your day knowing that you are finally FREE! See you in my next post.