Opportunity instead of Trial

My eyes have been opened to an entire different world since entering recovery. That world is being different. I have viewed people in my life, people on social media, people at church, people at school, the list goes on and on, but these people are all trying to be the same. Since entering recovery the different world I am talking about is just that, being different. This world and all the people in it CRAVE authenticity, if not outwardly then for sure deep down!  I realized this from a podcast by someone who makes fun of "mommy bloggers" who try to sell you their product or tell you about all the expensive things they buy, you get the picture. In the podcast he said the above statement, "this world craves authenticity". Divinely, God created us different and unique, so it is impossible to try and be like other people in every way, or think that we need to be like anyone else.
How to know if you are craving authenticity? Prior to recovery if someone would share a burden, trial, or problem openly and honestly and proceed to say what they learned or what they are doing to solve their problem or even just be honest and open I would naturally gravitate to them. I would re-share their story with others. I had no idea that the reason I was talking about them or thinking about how brave they are was because they were just "keeping it real", while I was stuck on watching youtube videos on "the perfect messy bun" or following people on social media that I compared their "picture perfect" life to my mundane day to day. So if you gravitate to people who keep it real; keep reading, if you want to continue comparing yourself to others have fun on the lifelong pursuit to despair and for sure a black hole.
The title of this post is opportunity instead of trial, I now view addiction as my opportunity. I feel like I have lived 1,000 lives and there are so many experiences that I have been through and came out fighting on the other side that others want to hear. You will always start where God places the trial, you will go through it and you will learn a lot of lessons, painful or life changing, either way you will learn and grow. At that time is where we all have the decision to make, trial into opportunity OR shrink and keep it all to ourselves, stay the same and don't allow others to grow with us. I have a theory that God knows we have learned what He wanted us to learn from a trial when we share our pain, lessons, victories, pitfalls, etc with others. I feel like I keep waiting for a number attached to my recovery before I feel like I can be brave enough to wear it on my sleeve, until about a week ago when I listened to that podcast. No one cares about the number of days I have not taken a mind altering substance rather I am betting that people care that I went through something really hard and came out on the other side and am willing to be an advocate and example of hope! I share my story with certain people, special places, important people that matter and I trust, but last week I turned a corner. Maybe I completely released all the shame attached to my past or I am ready to show God I can do more with those lessons He allowed me to learn.
So if the world craves authenticity, why is it so hard to be brave, bold, and loud? Why don't we scream from rooftops "hey tiff, I'm an addict in recovery and care more about other people and the good in the world than your botox and new rangerover". Who cares what other people think (cliche but really think about it) who cares if you are fat, muscly, a blogger, a fitness model, been to jail, been to Europe, have acne, or you are old. Whatever it is, it is your TRUTH, be real, reach out to others going through similar experiences, when someone shares pain with you from their own life, share your past pain and the victories you experience and how you got there.
If by chance you aren't the trouble maker that's causing the trials in your life, detach the strings, allow people to grow the way they need to, so when they come out on the other side they learn the lessons the way God intended so they can be useful to Him.
Embrace the world God is showing you and utilize the OPPORTUNITIES He gives you to bless the lives of others. A girl spoke in my church this week and said that she heard at a conference for school that across the board a study was done on people who have had near death experiences who are non denominational and a staggering number of them said they were asked the question "how well do YOU think you loved?" A way to answer that with "my whole heart" is to be with those as they suffer, when they are messing up, when they mourn, not when everything is rosy and easy to be around.
"A man learns who is there for him when the glitter fades and the walls won't hold, Cause from then, rubble what remains... can only be what's TRUE. If all was lost there's more I gained cause it led me back to you." Can you apply this quote to your life? Can you let go of who you think you should be? Can you share your pain and allow others to have prayers answered because of your example? Can you live your truth that will lead you back to God?