A personal story from an ISAAC member

There was a time when my life was overshadowed by darkness. Addiction had gripped me so tightly that hope seemed like a distant dream. Every day was a silent battle – between who I was and who I longed to become. The weight of guilt, shame, and broken trust kept pulling me deeper into a cycle I thought I could never escape.

But deep inside, a spark refused to die. That small voice kept whispering “You were made for more.”

My journey toward recovery was not a straight line. It was full of self-pity, tears and painful lessons. Yet, each setback planted a seed of wisdom. Slowly, I realised that recovery was not just about quitting substances, it was about rediscovering life, purpose, and self-worth.

With courage, I embraced the painful process of healing. I sought help, learned to be vulnerable and chose accountability over denial. Through therapy, community, and faith, I began piecing my life back together. The brokenness that once defined me slowly turned into strength.

That’s when the verse Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” began to speak to me differently.

It taught me that real change doesn’t start from the outside. It starts within. I stopped asking for an easy life and started asking for a new heart. A heart that could forgive, stay humble and choose what is right even when it’s hard. This verse helped me understand that I don’t have to be perfect to begin again. I just have to be honest.

Whenever I feel lost, overwhelmed, or tempted to return to old ways, I come back to this prayer. It reminds me that renewal is always possible and that God is more interested in transforming my heart than judging my past. This verse didn’t just comfort me, it reshaped me. It gave me hope that no matter how broken I feel, a new beginning is always one sincere prayer away.

But I didn’t stop at saving myself. I wanted to give back. I wanted to make sure no other addict felt as alone as I once did. With passion and determination, I trained, studied and transformed my pain into purpose – becoming a Certified Recovery Coach.

Today, I stand as living proof that recovery is not only possible but powerful. I use my personal story to inspire hope, guiding others through the same darkness I once walked. My coaching is not just professional, it is deeply personal, rooted in empathy, compassion and lived experience.

From addict to advocate, from brokenness to empowerment, my life is a testament to resilience. My journey reminds us that no matter how far someone falls, transformation is always possible, when courage meets commitment.

I want to speak to every heart that feels heavy…to every person who thinks, “I have gone too far.”

Let me tell you clearly: you have not gone too far for God. The story of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-24, is not only a story, it is a mirror of addiction and recovery.

The Bible says the son asked for his inheritance and left for a “far country”. That far country is not just a place on a map. It is the place many people reach in addiction, where life becomes dark, the soul becomes tired, and the heart becomes empty. Many people don’t start addiction because they are bad. They start because they are hurting. They are trying to escape pain, loneliness, trauma, stress and shame.

The far country looks like:

• Substances controlling the mind
• Relationships breaking
• Self-respect disappearing
• Guilt increasing
• And the heart becoming tired.

But here is the good news: even in the ‘far country’, God never stopped loving him.

The turning point of the story is one powerful line:
“He came to himself.”
That means he woke up. He became honest. He admitted: “This life is destroying me.” My friend, this is recovery – when a person becomes real and says, “I need help.” Healing begins with honesty.

Then the son said:
“I will arise and go to my father.”
Notice something beautiful: he didn’t say, “I will fix myself first.” He didn’t say, “I will become perfect first.” He simply decided to return.

That is what God wants from us – not perfection, but direction. Not performance, but surrender.

And when he returned, the Bible says:
“While he was still a great way off, his father saw him and ran.”
This is the heart of God. The father did not shout. The father did not punish. The father did not humiliate. The father ran and embraced him.

That embrace is grace.
That embrace is forgiveness.
That embrace is restoration.

The father did not call him “failure”.
He did not call him “addict”.
He called him “my son”.

Then the father gave him:
– a robe (dignity)
– a ring (identity)
– shoes (freedom).

This is what God does in recovery: He restores what addiction stole. He gives you back your worth. He gives you back your name. He gives you back a future.

So today I want to tell every prodigal son and daughter:
No matter how far you went…
No matter how many times you relapsed…
No matter what you lost…
There is always a way back home.
God is not finished with you.
You can rise again.
You can heal again.
You can return again.

I pray Father, we return to You today. Heal every broken heart. Break the chains of addiction. Restore dignity, identity and purpose. Give strength to the weak and hope to the hopeless.

In Jesus’ name, amen

Mishal

Please note: The name of the author of this story has been changed to protect their identity. We are withholding their real name to ensure their safety.

(Images created by AI)