BEATING YOUR ADDICTION

by Dave Brown

All of us have weaknesses of various types and degrees. In some sense our bad habits are the junior cousins of physical or psychological addictions. We can learn much from those who have beat addictions to drugs (which include the two most common and destructive to our society: alcohol and tobacco).

The first step to beating the problem is the recognition that although the solution is within your control, it will take help from God and others to accomplish. In the case of the alcoholic, it might require help from others who have gone through the same process themselves (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous).

In the case of most sinful habits it will take the understanding and constant provocation ("to love and good works") of our fellow Christians (Heb. 10: 24-25). This is a major reason for gathering ourselves together on a regular basis. When we fill ourselves up with love and good works there is no room for the devices of the devil.

Another major component is the concept of recovering. The addict must never, ever consider himself to be recovered. Once an addict always an addict. However, he can exist free from the consequences of the addiction by being in a state of constantly improving recovery.

We too need to have this attitude if we are to successfully fight the consequences of sin. The apostle Paul made it quite clear: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10: 12).

Of course, the most effective countermeasure to any addiction to abstain from the thing which causes it in the first place. The most compelling reason to abstain from sin is that you might just enjoy it. For, if you do not want to enjoy it, repeat it, and ultimately get addicted to it, why do it in the first place?