196. 3 Things to Watch Out For

196. 3 Things to Watch Out For

What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? On Hope in Recovery, Andy Petry talks candidly about three subtle hazards that can quietly knock you off course: busyness, fatigue, and lack of devotional time. Speaking as "a grateful believer in Jesus" who wrestles with food issues, depression, sexual addiction and grief, Andy shares how even good commitments can crowd out what matters most.

He uses a memorable picture from his friend Rodney: every commitment is a tennis ball on a table, but some are rubber and some are glass. When too many stack up, the glass ones — time with God, meetings, family — can shatter. As Andy puts it, "If we don't own our pace, our pace will own us." He then turns to fatigue, challenging you to be honest about whether you're constantly exhausted.

Andy breaks rest into "passive rest" (like watching TV on the sofa) and "active rest" (like hiking, squirrel hunting, or sharing a good coffee with a friend). Both matter, but he points out that a whole day of films often leaves him feeling more drained, whereas time in nature or meaningful connection actually restores his soul. His simple warning: "We don't make good decisions when we're tired." The third hazard is drifting from devotional time with Jesus.

Drawing from Psalm 1, Andy describes the person who delights in God's word as "like a tree planted by streams of water" with leaves that don’t wither. He links this to Jesus’ promise of abundant life and gently encourages anyone feeling stuck to try five days of 10–15 minutes in the Bible, just to see what changes.

Through it all, Andy keeps coming back to grace: recovery, he says, is shaped not by perfect behaviour, but by coming to Jesus again and again. If busyness, exhaustion or spiritual dryness feel familiar, could this be the nudge to re-set your pace and lean back into community and Christ today?