An addiction is something that controls us - it is something we feel we cannot live without, or something we feel driven to do in order to relieve pressure, pain, or discomfort of some kind. The substance that we are addicted to helps relieve our pain momentarily, but then a damaging controlling cycle starts in our life.
Today, many of us live a life of desperation - desperate to fit in, desperate to be accepted, and desperate to be approved of by others. There are times in life that we can feel like a vending machine, where people come by and push a different button, expecting different things from us, leaving us feeling used up and pulled in every direction. When we feel unsure about ourselves we look for someone or something to comfort us to reassure us that everything is alright.
To indicate whether you or I may have signs of addictions, let's ask ourselves a few questions: What do we run to and what do we look for when we feel insecure? What is on our mind most of the time? When we are addicted to something, it is on our mind most of the time. The greater the addiction, the more that thing consumes our thoughts. The addictions we hear about most often are related to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, however gambling, over eating, sexual perversions and approval addiction are right up there at the top. Whatever we are addicted to, we are controlled by, and as a result our addiction affects and influences many other areas of our life. It will certainly steal our peace, joy and contentment, and we can lose sight of who we are. To escape this trap of pressure from others and ourselves, we must take control of our lives and get a revelation of who we are in Christ. Only God can free us. True freedom is more than just substituting one addictive behavior for another. It is allowing God to change our thinking about ourselves and our behavior. It is truly being transformed by Christ. It is His nature to love us whether we perform well or not. "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners (alcoholics, sex addicts, junkies, anorexics, gamblers, - in fact, like all of humanity), Christ died for us". (Romans 5:8) If you are struggling with any form of addiction, consider praying this prayer:
Father, forgive me for trying to do everything in my own strength, my own way. Jesus I need you and cry out to you to have mercy on me. I ask you to come into my life and lead it and direct it. I desire freedom in the area of my addiction that only you can help me with. Amen
Time To Get OFF The Treadmill of Addiction With GOD'S HELP!
