An Addict's Addiction

Their palms sweat. Their heartbeat rises. Sometimes their body shakes. And sometimes they perspire. "Should I? Or shouldn't I?? I don't want too. I want to not want it." they scream to themselves. Inwardly of course. It's the invisible battle. The one no one ever sees. Not their family. Not their friends. And most times, not even their spouse. Some days they're fine and have 'it' under control. Other days they could literally go mad with the craving. It tears them up inside.

If you've ever spoken to an addict. Or maybe you are one. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. At times you've tried to stop. You really have. But then in a few days you start up again. The cycle continues, and you're oblivious on how to stop it once and for all. Cocaine. Cigarettes. Panado. Spirits. Hustler. Heroin. Blackjack. Weed. Internet porn. Slot machine. Coffee. Beer. They say 82% of all people in the western world are addicted to something detrimental. And only 14% of those ever come to a place where they able to stop it, silence it and win. The others never know what it's like to be free.

I was an addict once. I tried all the formulas. I read books. I cried. I prayed. I read some more. And I prayed some more. For over 17 years. And then...one day...it clicked. It's like a light switched on in my heart. Not my head. My heart. I finally came to a place of believing. And it was simple, but yet totally profound, life changing...and....addiction ending. The light was this: I finally believed who I was and what had been done for me. I was no longer an addict. And my addiction no longer had power over me. I was God's son, I was made right with God by no effort on my own. And His Son had broken the power of my addiction. It no longer had power over me. I had to believe. and i did. I came to place of believing. 

Today I'm free. I'm experiencing and living out now what I believed back then. I'm not an addict and that addiction has no power over me. I'm still vulnerable. But not controlled. I can still fall. But it's power over me is broken. 

If you're an addict...know one thing. Freedom is real. It's not a pipe dream. It's not a mirage. It's indeed possible. Read the books and even pray if you like. But if you must do one thing, do this: Believe. In your heart believe. Jesus, in fact, did break sin's power over mankind and reconciled us with God. Believe it.

Freedom to you.