Part of the 21‑Day Alcohol Fast Series • Previous Day • Next Day
Transcript & Journal Prompts
Welcome to Day 18 of your alcohol-free journey. Today, we’re tackling one of the most deeply entrenched beliefs about alcohol: that it makes us happy.
In Psalm 16:11, David writes, ‘You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.’ This beautiful scripture reminds us that true joy comes from God, not from any earthly substance.
Think back to your most cherished celebrations and joyful gatherings – graduations, weddings, birthdays, milestone achievements. Alcohol likely played a prominent role in many of these moments. Through these experiences, we’ve developed a strong association between alcohol and happiness, joy and fun.
Let’s examine this belief more closely using our ACT framework*. As a reminder, ACT stands for Awareness, Clarity, and Turnaround.
AWARENESS
First, let’s ask ourselves if the belief that alcohol makes us happy is true. Many of us have a lot of experiences in our lifetimes that seem to support the idea that alcohol creates happiness, going back to our childhoods.
We observe adults becoming more animated at parties, laughing louder with drinks in hand. As we become adults, this connection is continuously reinforced through media, advertising, and social customs. Movies, TV shows and advertisements depict beautiful people living their best lives with drinks in hand. Our social media feeds overflow with friends posting about “the best night ever” while drinking. Maybe you have even made those posts yourself. I know I sure did!
But it goes even deeper than that. Our society has become so convinced that alcohol is necessary for connection and enjoyment that it’s infiltrating spaces where it was once unthinkable. Wine is now commonplace at baby showers, children’s birthday parties, and even women’s church group socials. I actually experienced this recently when I signed up for a church social for women. We were encouraged to bring an appetizer, a dessert, or a bottle of wine! I was actually quite shocked by it, but maybe I should’t have been.
As a society regardless of our faith, we’ve bought into the lie that we need a glass of wine in hand to truly connect with other women, to relax enough to be ourselves, to “make it through” social situations. Think about it – how many times have you heard someone say, “I’ll bring the wine!” about a simple gathering of friends? We’ve elevated alcohol to such importance that we feel incomplete without it, even in settings meant to celebrate new life or foster spiritual growth.
CLARITY
This belief that “alcohol makes me happy” has profound effects on how we feel about and live our lives. It influences our choices in ways we might not even realize. We start to categorize events as “fun” or “boring” based on whether alcohol will be present. We may avoid alcohol-free gatherings, believing they won’t be as enjoyable. We might feel anxious about attending a social event where we know alcohol won’t be served, wondering how we’ll possibly connect with others or have a good time. I completely felt this way when I was still drinking.
This belief creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we’re at events without alcohol, we might be distracted by its absence, not fully present or engaged, thereby creating the very experience we feared – one that feels less fun or connected. We might find ourselves trying to change the nature of gatherings, suggesting “wine and cheese” for a book club that was originally just about books, or bringing bottles to events where alcohol wasn’t planned.
Consider how this belief might be limiting your life. Are there meaningful experiences you’re missing because you’ve decided they won’t be fun without alcohol? Are there relationships that could be deeper if you weren’t relying on alcohol as a social lubricant?
TURNAROUND
Here’s the truth I want to share with you today: real, lasting happiness doesn’t come from a bottle. In her book “The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober,” Catherine Gray describes discovering a whole new world of authentic joy after leaving alcohol behind. She found, as many of us do, that sobriety doesn’t mean the end of happiness – it means the beginning of a deeper, richer, more genuine joy.
Is it possible that you could embrace one or more of these new, more empowering beliefs?
- My natural state is joy – I don’t need alcohol to access it
- I’m most genuinely happy when I’m fully present and clear-headed
- Real connection happens when I’m authentic, not chemically altered
- God’s joy is complete and lasting; alcohol’s pleasure is temporary and hollow
The joy we find in sobriety is like nothing alcohol can provide. It doesn’t happen overnight, but once you have enough clear-headed and genuine experiences that you actually remember, you will see just how joyful sobriety is. It’s the joy described in Nehemiah 8:10: ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength.’
Take time today to reflect in your journal. Your prompts will guide you to explore your memories of genuine happiness, examine how alcohol may have borrowed joy from your tomorrows, and discover the new sources of authentic joy you’ve found during this fast. Really dig deep into how this belief that “alcohol makes me happy” has influenced your choices and what new truths you’re discovering.
Tomorrow, we’ll tackle another crucial topic that trips up many people who try to change their relationship with alcohol: why relying on willpower alone often leads to frustration and failure. We’ll explore why sustainable change requires so much more than just trying harder, and I’ll share some powerful alternatives that align with both science and scripture. You won’t want to miss it!
See you tomorrow for Day 19!
*Process adapted from the ACT Technique developed by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind.
📝 Today’s Journal Prompts:(Allow 15-20 minutes for this exercise. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. Begin with a few deep breaths to center yourself.)
- Reflect on a truly happy memory. What made it special beyond any alcohol that might have been present?
- How has alcohol borrowed happiness from your tomorrow?
- What new sources of joy have you discovered during this fast?
- Write about a moment of genuine happiness you’ve experienced in these past 18 days.
🙏 Closing prayer:
“Loving Father, thank You for showing us that true joy comes from You alone. Help us release our dependence on artificial sources of happiness and embrace the authentic joy You provide. Give us the courage to share our genuine selves with others and find delight in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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