It is not a stretch to say that family values have taken a back seat in recent years. Young women have become more focused on what is going on on TikTok rather than what is going on in their own homes (and to be fair, this happens with parents as well). Family values can be especially affected when a child is diagnosed with mental illness or is struggling with issues of addiction. Fortunately, there are instances where turning to one’s faith life can be critical in helping a family in recovery heal.
Why Is Faith Life Beneficial?
Even people who aren’t religious know the phrase “Honor thy father and mother.” This comes from Exodus 20:12 which reads, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” In recent years, this concept has become almost toxic in popular culture.
This is because there has been a movement to allow for more adolescent independence. Who knows where this really started, but it does seem to correlate to the rise of the internet. It also coincides with the period when people began stepping away from their preferred religion and spiritual lives. This independence has also led to a rise in substance abuse and addiction in young women.
It could be argued that this absence of faith life has frayed the family and caused a disconnect between many parents and their daughters. People seem to have forgotten how beneficial a faith life can be in keeping the family unit working together lovingly and cohesively. In recovery, this faith life must return if there is to be deep healing and long-term success.
How Can a New or Renewed Faith Life Help Heal the Entire Family in Recovery?
Proverbs 22:6 teaches, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Herein lies the benefits that can come from imparting a faith life. It can bring not just peace at the moment but an opportunity for success in the future. In recovery, this is all the more essential.
Issues of mental illness and addiction can create challenges for any family. This is even true when these issues are being addressed in recovery. The key is to confront these issues using every tool in the box.
These tools can include therapy, family workshops, community recovery meetings, physical activities, a renewed focus on academics, and yes, a spiritual practice. Bringing spirituality back into the home can be essential in giving a family a unified purpose. Based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, that unified purpose is to love everyone around us and also ourselves.
What Does Faith Life for the Entire Family in Recovery Look Like?
It can be intimidating to adopt a faith life or return to one in recovery. There is a good chance that there will be pushback by members of the family, especially the younger members. However, it is important to remind them that there is no downside to trying something new. What’s more, there is always the option to step away from a practice or try another one.
A pact many people make with their sponsors when they are first entering a 12-Step program is “Are you willing to go to any length to recover?” If the answer is yes, then the willingness to recover is there. This includes the willingness to attempt to connect to something greater than themselves.
Many people have reported that they initially didn’t want to engage with spirituality. However, they entered into this pact out of a deep need to end the pain of addiction. They stuck to their pact, and out of reluctance adopted a spiritual practice. Then, many times, without even knowing when the shift happened, their spiritual life became the cornerstone of their recovery. This is the power of adopting a faith life. The same pact can be brought into the home to help the entire family heal.
Helping the Entire Family in Recovery at Clearview
In John 15:12-14, Jesus tells his disciples, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” There should be no greater friends than the ones inside one’s own home. No, this doesn’t mean bossing people around without any regard for their feelings, nor does it mean being a friend over being a parent or being the “cool parent.” It means showing unconditional love and being willing to go to any length to help the family heal.
Here at Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, the family comes first. We all have a duty to our children. That duty is to equip them with the best tools to succeed in life. However, we must not forget that parents and the entire family are just as deserving of these tools as well. There can be no greater tool than a spiritual life to carry us when no one else can.
Having a strong foundation of faith can do wonders for a young person’s recovery. However, faith-related routines can also be a significant factor in helping the entire family heal. Incorporating a faith life, such as one that works with the beliefs and teachings of Jesus Christ, can expedite healing in the family and create positive long-term results. If you feel like your daughter is struggling with issues of addiction and/or mental health, we can help her recover. We can also help you and the entire family heal at the same time. For more information on how to incorporate faith into your family’s recovery process, please reach out to Clearview Horizon today at 866-584-4788.
