201. Surrender and Rest

201. Surrender and Rest

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This short Hope in Recovery episode zooms in on two simple prayers that tie surrender and rest together in a very down-to-earth way.

Host Andy Petry, a grateful believer in Jesus who shares openly about his struggles with anxiety, depression, sexual addiction and grief, talks about how recovery is "hard, but it's worth it" and how healing comes "one step at a time with Jesus and healthy community." Drawing from a talk by founding pastor Robert Cupp, Andy unpacks two tiny but weighty prayers that can steady anyone walking through hurts, hang-ups or habits.

The first is the classic Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Andy breaks it into three parts – acknowledging that God is in charge, remembering that Jesus "came and died on the cross for my sins," and honestly naming personal brokenness. He points out how this prayer cuts through both pride and shame, reminding you that you're needy and yet deeply loved at the same time.

The second prayer shifts into rest and trust: "Lord, my life is in your hands and my hands are empty." Andy links this to Jesus’ words about losing your life to find it and reflects on how clinging to control and addiction kept him stuck.

Open hands, he says, mean "they're not clinging to anything that would keep us from grabbing on to what God wants to give us next." Woven through these reflections is a gentle reminder that no one has to do recovery alone. Andy talks about Celebrate Recovery meetings on Friday nights as a family of people who are all broken yet moving toward the one who heals, Jesus.

If you’ve been feeling worn out, ashamed or unsure of your next step, these two simple prayers might be a good place to start. What would it look like for you to rest as you surrender today?