Help with Addiction

There is help with addiction. It comes from the source of all life.

“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Entrapment

Recently a bird visited our garage. He came in through one of the open doors. Then he noticed the window. The bird could see the outdoors clearly because I had cleaned the window panes thoroughly. Banging himself against the window repeatedly, he became increasingly frustrated.

I went out to the garage for something. Seeing the desperate bird I said, “Follow me and I’ll show you the way to freedom.” My walking to the open door had no effect on the bird. I was not speaking his language.

Later David went out to the garage. Upon returning, he told me his solution to the bird’s plight. Putting his hands in thick gloves, David gently wrapped the tired bird in his hands. Walking to the open door, he released the grateful bird to his outdoor world.

Addiction Defined

An addict is someone who has developed a strong habit that is harmful. Such a person may feel trapped, unable to see a positive end.

At times we get ourselves inside a bubble of bad behavior. We know what is right, but this other option looks better. We choose to ignore God for a time. It becomes a pattern and we get hooked.

At first, the bubble is fragile. We can quit at any time, we tell ourselves. Then we go back to our lives.

The longer we engage in what now has become a sinful habit, the more it seems the fragile bubble is becoming an iron cage. No matter how hard we try, we can’t quit. At this point, we are like the bird who would not turn around to see the open doors and fly away to freedom.

Help with Addiction comes from God

God has a solution for every problem we have. “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they” (Matthew 6:26)?

Jesus was telling the listening crowd God loved them. God does not change from one century to the next, so God loves us also.

He has a ready supply of whatever need we have. Our needs do not exhaust His supply. He will never have to go to the store to get more of whatever we need. Strength is not a problem for Him. He has plenty in stock.

The problem is not on God’s end. We do not find release from the chains that seem to bind us because we refuse God’s hand He extends to us. Breaking chains, bursting bubbles, and opening doors in iron cages are God’s specialty.

Living Water for New Life

Jesus once took time to visit with a woman at a well. She came to get water. Jesus told her, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14).

The water from God has given us everlasting life. This is the new birth when we are born again.

When we get thirsty, we do not have to go anywhere else to get water. Jesus is our supply of well water. But we need to read His Word to get refreshed at the well.

In reading our Bible, the Holy Spirit does something marvelous. He speaks the language of our heart’s cry. By this means we get strength beyond our own to leave our strong habits behind.

In releasing ourselves to the gentle hands of God, we find freedom to obey Him, leaving our sins behind. When we obey God, we experience not just life, but abundant life (John 10:10). This is God’s longing for us.

Are you searching for a way out of some habitual sin? Let God take you to the open door.

Amazing Grace-My Chains Are Gone Pentatonix

Shirley Logsdon

Additional Reading

Bad Habits-Good Habits