Ep 44: MINISODE Willpower is Useless: Instead Unlock the Power of Divine Determination

This is something that I hear time and time again and I know women say to themselves over and over when they are looking to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake . Willpower is no power , and I'm going to explain that to you now . So willpower is , by definition , to control , exerted to do something or restrain impulses .

It's also described as self-command , self-control , self-possession and self-will . So I'm here to offer you something different , because willpower is no power . As I said , what we need to be able to accomplish our goals , to move forward in life , to remove obstacles that are keeping us stuck , is determination .

Determination is firmness of purpose , by the process of establishing something , by calculation or by research , and that , my friends , is what we do here on the Catholic sobriety podcast , and this is the work that I do with my clients .

If you follow me on social media or you're on my email list , this is what I strive to help with every day is to give you the information so that you can do the research that you need , to have the tools to equip you , to have the firmness of purpose , to establish the level of sobriety that will work for you .

But even above just our own determination , we need to seek divine determination , and divine determination is all of what I just said , but it's also yielding our whole self and our whole will to the Lord for His purpose . Now I'm gonna give you an example of divine determination .

There are so many examples , beautiful examples , in the Bible , and I'm going to read to you from Acts , chapter 20 , verses 22 through 24 , and it says Saint Paul says but now , compelled by the spirit , I am going to Jerusalem . What will happen to me there ?

I do not know , except that in one city after another , the Holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me . Yet I consider life of no importance to me . If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to bear witness to the gospel of God's grace .

That , my friends , is divine determination , paul knowing that he was going to face not just discomfort but being imprisoned and prisons in those days were not . I mean , prisons that we have now are not great , but the prisons they had in those days , like they didn't get food unless their family brought them food , they had dirt floors , they had no bathrooms .

I mean it was disgusting and it was Very oppressive . And even knowing that he was going to face that type of discomfort , he persisted . Some Bible translations have verse 24 start out as None of these things move me . None of these things move me . And that is what having divine determination means .

If Philippians 4 , 13 , it says I can do all things Through Christ , who strengthens me , not some things , not most things , all things we do not need willpower . That is self-reliance . That is like trying to will something to happen , which to me sounds very frustrating and completely fruitless .

Every time that I have tried to rely on my own will , I I find that it is an uphill climb . I'm trudging over rocky ground and Waiting , waist deep through mud , trying to get where I think I need to go .

But when I bring the Lord into my circumstance and not only ask him to change the situation but to change me , and At the same time I am open to his will being done , even and especially if the resolution is completely different than I had anticipated or imagined . I just have more peace and I see and feel him working Powerfully in my life .

With faith and trust and determination , you will see God move your mountain . When you say , none of these things move me , that is you saying I will not waver in my actions or my attitude . Another example in the Bible of someone who is very , very determined .

And if you look through the stories of the women of the Bible , you will see this played out over and over and over again . So I urge you , sisters , to draw from the strength of those who have gone before us .

But one woman I would like to talk about is the woman at the will and After her powerful encounter with Jesus , she forgot her shame and she went running to tell everyone who would listen about Jesus . Because of her determination to just tell everyone , many thousands came to believe from her testimony .

So if you are full of determination Divine determination , meaning that you are willing to let go and stop trying to do things your way and instead ask God for his help , you will see this change occur .

So when we are talking about sobriety , if we are trying to will ourselves not to drink , that's just what they call white knuckling it when you begin to stop holding on to the rain so tightly . White knuckling it is fighting or powering through a situation . It is the process of relying on yourself , on your own willpower and friends .

That is as exhausting as it probably sounds and it's not something that can be maintained for long . So when people are trying to rely on their willpower to drink less or not at all , that's why it doesn't usually work very well .

However , when we rely on divine determination , when we are willing to do our part and also allow the Holy Spirit to come in and strengthen our spiritual gifts to give us what we need to see things from a heavenly perspective instead of a worldly one our determination grows and our willingness to do what is needed to live our lives in a way that glorifies God

is strengthened . When we understand how relying on a substance like alcohol keeps us stuck , keeps us comfortable , keeps us lukewarm , and it darkens our will and our intellect so that we cannot hear God's voice , then it has us turning to something other than God for a resolution .

If we are seeking peace or just to numb out , we are essentially pushing whatever it is that is irritating us back into the closet . Plus , we're adding more shame , more guilt , self-loathing and whatever else into the mix , pushing that in there too and slamming the door . Now it's still there . It will spill out .

Instead , if we are determined to look at these things with the Lord's help , if we are willing to allow the Lord to pour in His grace by the regular reception of the sacraments . This means we are not doing this on our own . We are not white-knuckling it . Instead , we have been able to release control and allow Jesus to come in .

Now , if you want to dig deeper into divine determination , if you want to learn how to manage your mind using my Pearl technique , which is pray , examine , analyze , reframe and leverage your faith , then I have something amazing for you . I am creating what I am calling the Sacred Subriety Lab , teaching you how to cultivate a Pearl of great price .

In this lab , we're going to start with the Novena to the Holy Spirit and then we're going to enter into five different modules . Which is managing your mind . You are not made for comfort . You're North Star , caring for your interior castle . And then module five is .

This is only the beginning , and I'm going to give you the tools and resources you need to just keep on the track of progress and meeting the goals to reach the level of sobriety that is right for you . I'm also going to be including a ton of great bonuses as well . More information is coming about this .

I'm going to put a link in the show notes if you want to be notified as soon as we start . As soon as we start the pre-orders and open this up , for anyone who has done my five-day Sacred Subriety Kickstart , you will get a discount in addition to the founder's price that I'm selling this at for a limited time .

So if you want to take advantage of that , or at least have a peek into what the Pearl technique is , then go ahead and sign up for the five-day Sacred Subriety Kickstart and you'll have that . And then , yeah , and then you'll be on the list to be notified as soon as the Sacred Subriety Lab opens

up . So much more is going to be coming about it . It's actually going to be launching on December 12th , our Lady of Guadalupe , which , if you heard my very first podcast episode , you know why that is a very special and important date to me . Anyway , I hope that you'll get signed up for some more information and I hope that you have a blessed day .

Well , that wraps up today's episode of the Catholic Subriety Mini-Sode . Thank you so much for joining me and please be sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss a thing . And remember I am here for you , I am praying for you . You are not alone .