Casper isn't friendly...

Ghosts.

 

They Haunt You.

 

Sitting on a stool in the middle of the stage, lights low, candles lit, and 150 students staring at him, a youth pastor began explaining what Ghosts really are.

 

In my mind Ghosts were things that looked and acted like Casper the Friendly Ghost. Casper was see through, had a sense of adventure, and always liked to help people out because he was friendly. I was wrong though. Ghosts weren't anything like Casper.

 

The youth pastor shared stories of having meaningless sex.

 

Fake friendships.

 

Years of addiction.

 

"Ghosts are the things that haunt you."

 

These Ghosts didn't look or act anything like Casper. These were real Ghosts that caused fear, pain, and doubt.

 

We all have a battle with our Ghosts that cause us to doubt and fear. We could be on the road to recovery, feeling great about our progress with our addiction, then a Ghost arrives. A memory arrives in our brain that causes us to stumble. That tells us we aren't good enough. That we will always be an addict. That we can never change.

 

Ghosts are the things that continually remind you of your mistakes.

 

I don't know where you're at with your addiction and whether it's internet, porn, drugs, money, or whatever type of addiction; we all get to the point where we begin to doubt ourselves. We begin to doubt our abilities to recovery. We remember the times when we failed miserably and we think how will this time be different? But that's where some of our problems arrive. When we start to think that WE can handle our own problems.

 

I've carried this ton of trouble,

lived with a stomach full of pain.

Long enough my arrogant enemies (Ghosts) have looked down their noses at me.

 

Take a good look at me, God, my God,

I want to look life in the eye, So no enemy (Ghost) can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face.

 

I've thrown myself headlong into your arms--

I'm celebrating your rescue. I'm singing at the top of my lingoes, I'm so full of answered prayers.

Psalm 13:2-6

 

When we begin to put our trust in ourselves we will fail. It may not be immediately, but eventually failure is imminent. Lets face it, we suck at being accountable for ourselves. If we were that good we would have stopped by now, right? We would have realized that we're spending way too much time on Foursquare or Facebook.

Maybe you don't have that problem though. Maybe your problem is you put way too much hope and faith into one of your friends or mentors.

"Well you didn't answer the phone to keep me accountable"

Friends can fail you. Parents can fail you. Organizations can fail you. Pastors can fail you. Churches can fail you. And sometimes, it feels like God can fail you.  But as cliché as it might sound, God won't fail you.

 

Sometimes it takes awhile.

 

Sometimes it may not be like you planned it.

 

Sometimes it hurts.

 

But God is waiting to rescue you and me from all of this. From all the hurt. From all the confusion. From all our Ghosts.