One of the hardest things for any spouse or family to go through is when a family member is addicted to drugs or alcohol and refuses to admit that life is out of control. Mean, cruel things are often said to the very people who love the troubled child or spouse the most. The values and faith that were once shared are discarded. The rejection of loving family members who want to help hurts deeply.

Still,families most often don’t give up. While the family members are committed to stop enabling behaviors, they communicate love and concern and the offer of help when the alcoholic/addict is ready to receive it. They pray for the sufferer. They hold out hope for sobriety and recovery.

When an alcoholic or drug addict admits that his or her life is out of control, that he or she is spiritually thirsty and needs the help of God, amazing and miraculous things can happen. Working the recovery program often brings a commitment to help other alcoholics or addicts because one knows what it was like seeking to quench spiritual thirst with chemicals.

Despite a long history of rejection, God never stops having compassion for his creation. He redeems thirsty sinners. He fills them with his Holy Spirit so that they may help other thirsty sinners, testifying to God’s mercy in Jesus, the living water: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37–38).