“My Addiction is Killing Me!”
That is what a friend told me several years ago concerning his crippling addiction to Heroin.
I saw my friend literally fighting for his life trying to kick his addiction. I watched helplessly from the sidelines as he went from one ‘new’ rehab program to another always ending up at the same conclusion.
He wasn’t a bad kid. He grew up with great parents and a strong Christian family, but still as it can happen, he got mixed in with the wrong crowd at school and it grew from there. A story that has been told too many times before.
I watched my dad, who my friend and I both worked for at the time, take him under his wing and try to minister to him, counsel him, and pray for him.
As I thought about my friend this morning, I couldn’t help but wonder, how many people out there today are dealing with absolute crippling addictions? How many feel there is no hope of ever overcoming that addiction? How many have given up and given in to their particular addiction? Hopeless. Helpless. Alone.
I wish I could tell you that the story of my friend has a happy ending. I wish I could tell you that he kicked his addiction and is living a happy and fulfilled life. Unfortunately, the latest and greatest treatment was just as bad as the heroin.
One thing rings clear in the story of my friend…he continually put his trust in the wrong thing! His trust in all the rehab centers, or the latest treatments, eventually cost him his life.
Everyday there are millions of people putting their hope and trust in the wrong thing. What are we doing to reach them with the ‘life saving gospel’ of Jesus?
If you are reading this and are struggling with an addiction that you can’t seem to overcome…remember this;
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11(emphasis mine)
Tags: addiction, Christianity, hope, life
March 28, 2008 at 2:58 pm
It is interesting to consider the role that Christianity sometimes serves in getting people out of addiction, alcoholism, gang violence, and sexual promiscuity. I’ve never read stats about it, but it strikes me as a common profile for someone converting to Christianity, particularly to conservative Christianity.
Maybe people whose problems are related to poor impulse control especially benefit from a strong institutional external form of control. Now that I think it, joining the army often serves as a similar kind of turning point for people who fit a similar profile.
March 28, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Paul,
I don’t think you can chalk all addictions up to ‘poor impulse’ control. Some, yes…but not all.
I also believe that the reason Christianity plays such a powerful role in helping people overcome addictions, is not due to a, as you put it, ’strong institutional external form of control’, but more to the Holy Spirit granting an unexplainable power, and the knowledge of having a personal relationship with a loving God, and possessing the overwhelming desire to please Him.