Is something controlling your life? If so, you’re not the only one. Most people with an addiction find themselves struggling alone in shame and guilt. Is this you? To begin the recovery process, you must identify your past pain and hang up, seeking qualified help. If we hold on to the addiction, it becomes an idol, something that drags us away from God.
Next Steps in Handling Addiction:
1. We all need help; the first step is admitting it.
2. Setting our pride aside is hard, but we must if we want to heal.
3. We need regular, weekly accountability and people we can call on daily... that comes through a church and a recovery group.
4. We spend time every day with God. His wisdom will guide us through.
5. We need to remember people from all walks of life deal with addiction. None of us is any better or worse than the other, but we all need each other.
6. We watch out for co-dependent relationships and how much time we spend with people who are addicts but not seeking help.
7. We understand that family members may have to cut off help to us temporarily so we can stand on our own. If they enable us, it hurts us.
8. We do not isolate ourselves but seek out healthy relationships with unaddicted people.
9. We make plans to make things right with people we hurt, but we keep our distance if it would hurt them to have contact with us.
10. We confess our needs and sins daily to God; we meet with Him in prayer and in Bible study. This is our one proper foundation – our walk with Christ.
Below are some scriptures to help you know what God says about our struggles with addiction. If you want prayer or to talk about your current situation, feel free to call the pastoral care team at 800-525-5683.
Additional Scriptures
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure. - 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. - James 4:8 NLT
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12:1-2 NLT
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. - Hebrews 10:25 NLT
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. - Philippians 4:8 NLT
