What is Addiction?

Addiction is an illness characterized by a strong and persistent craving for a substance or a particular activity. It is a compulsive behavior that is changeable over time, but the person affected may not be conscious of the harm and destruction it can bring upon their lives. Addiction can lead to consequences such as physical and mental health impairments, financial instability, and disrupted relationships.

How does The Reformed Christian View Addiction?

The Reformed Christian view on addiction is deeply rooted within its belief system. Reformed Churches, such as the Presbyterian Church in America and the Reformed Church in America, embrace an understanding of Christian faith and life based on scripture, creeds, confessions, and catechisms. As it relates to addiction, Reformed Christians believe that addiction is a disease. It’s a physical and spiritual illness that must be treated. The Bible reminds us that “each heart is known of God” and that “God remembers all that we’ve done”. Along with this understanding, Reformed Christians affirm that addiction is sin. It is caused by our choices and choices of those close to us. Addiction has negative consequences, but God understands the power of compassion towards sinners and works through them in order to bring healing and redemption.

What is The Reformed Christian’s Approach to Addiction?

The Reformed Christian approach to addiction is holistic in nature. It includes physical, mental, and spiritual components in order to properly address the addiction. As far as physical treatment is concerned, the Reformed Christian approach emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help. Professional medical and counseling services are recommended in order to adequately address the physical components of an addiction. This could include medical detoxification, inpatient treatment, and medication-assisted treatment. In terms of mental health, the Reformed Christian approach encourages individuals to seek counseling in order to address pre-existing issues which may have caused or exacerbated their addiction. These could include unresolved trauma and past hurts which the individual has yet to process and heal. Finally, Reformed Christian ministry is essential in the treatment of addiction. This can be done through community support, faith-based recovery programs, and spiritual mentors and advisers. In all cases, these services are rooted in the unique and personal approach embraced by the Reformed Christian faith.

Reformed Christians believe that individuals suffering from addiction are works of God’s creation, and that God wishes for their recovery and redemption. The Reformed Christian approach to addiction focuses on healing and restoration. By providing a comprehensive and holistic approach to addiction, this approach helps individuals to develop faith and courage to take on their recovery journey and turn away from the addiction that has caused so much destruction in their lives.

Living in this fallen world, addiction has become one of the most prominent issues plaguing society today. Despite its prevalence, many people still struggle to understand the heart of addiction and how to best cope with it. The Christian approach to addiction is one that offers a unique way of understanding addiction and can provide essential spiritual guidance to those seeking to overcome it.

At its core, addiction is a spiritual condition. The Bible tells us that without being filled with the Spirit, we will be driven by the desires of our flesh, which can lead to all sorts of destructive behavior patterns, such as addiction. The Christian approach to addiction lays down the framework for understanding how to break free of the enslavement of addiction through the spiritual guidance and strength that comes from taking hold of the power of God.

At the root of the Christian approach to addiction is the recognition that addictions are a sign of a deeper spiritual malady. Whether it’s substance abuse, gambling, or pornography, those who are struggling with addiction are looking to fill a void that can only be filled by a real, abiding relationship with God. Therefore, it’s essential to first turn to God and allow Him to come in and heal the brokenness in our lives.

This healing process can involve different types of interventions, depending on the situation. Common interventions in the Christian approach to addiction include prayer, spiritual counseling, and community support. Prayer helps to keep us connected to God and his power, while spiritual counseling can help us develop a deeper understanding of our own spiritual issues and a better grasp of God’s will in our lives. Lastly, community support is crucial for a successful recovery, as it can provide us with the tools we need to stay accountable and learn healthier habits.

Another important aspect of the Christian approach to addiction is the concept of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a major step in recovery, as it helps to remove the heavy burden of guilt and failure that individuals often experience. It is only by relying on God’s grace and mercy that we can truly overcome any obstacle. To forgive means to accept God’s complete forgiveness for our past and present sins and to believe in the new life He wants to give us.

Finally, the Christian approach to addiction emphasizes the importance of living a life of faith. It is through faith that we can truly start to live according to God’s will and break the bonds of addiction. Putting our hope in God gives us the strength and hope necessary to stay the course in recovery and look forward to a brighter future, free from the terrors of addiction.

All in all, the Christian approach to addiction is an effective and deeply spiritual way of understanding and coping with addiction. It recognizes the spiritual malady that lies at the heart of addiction and provides a unique roadmap for healing and recovery. With its emphasis on prayer, forgiveness, and putting one’s trust in God, the Christian approach to addiction is an invaluable resource for anyone struggling with addiction.

Anyone can get addicted especially if they don’t pay attention to some of the possible signs or some aspects of their health that can get them addicted.

If you’re a Christian struggling with addiction, the good news is that you can break free if you’re aware of your identity in Christ.

Here are some of the steps you can apply to put addiction at bay.

Read your Bible regularly

If you’ve been addicted for a while and it’s been difficult for you to break free, one of the measures to apply is to improve your studying of God’s word. Reading and meditating on God’s word helps you to remember the power that resides in you.

It also reminds you that irrespective of your sin, you remain God’s child. So, if you are feeling like God has abandoned you, the word of God is there to remind you that he will never leave you or forsake you.

As you meditate on God’s word, you can confess some of his promises to yourself, especially regarding your healing.

Pray fervently

Another step to take to defeat addiction is to pray without ceasing. One of the primary essence of prayer is to communicate with God, and also listen to him.

It might be that the reason why you are at a loss on how to break free is that you’ve not spoken to God in a long time.

When it comes to fervent prayer, you don’t have to begin with several hours at a stretch. You can start with a few minutes, and increase it gradually. What matters is your consistency and how heartfelt your prayers are.

Inform your siblings in Christ

You can also conquer addiction when you are accountable to your brothers and sisters in the faith. It is important to mention that you don’t have to be shy when you tell them about your condition.

Your siblings in Christ will join you in prayers, and also help you find other means to treat your addiction condition once and for all.

You can create a lasting foundation for lasting sobriety by joining a church that offers addiction recovery programs. Of course, a Christian recovery program can make it easier to trust in the Lord during addiction treatment fully, but your church is an excellent place to start.

Why You Should Go to Church in Recovery

Church attendance is important for addiction recovery for several reasons, but here are some of the most important ones.

When you seek addiction recovery with a faith component, churches provide you with a faith-based connection with God. As you try to overcome your addiction or get yourself out of a quicksand situation, God will be there to help you. Establishing a routine of attending church will help you focus on your faith and keep you in touch with your beliefs.

Church provides a sense of community that many people appreciate. As part of a church community, people from various backgrounds and cultures can connect. As you recover, you will need all the support you can get, and attending church during recovery can provide you with that.

Additionally, you will find a group of peers who share your views. It is not uncommon to meet people devoted to their faith and the church when attending regularly.

If you look in a group of people, you are likely to find people less inclined to drink and use drugs. If you surround yourself with these people, you will have a group of friends with whom you can spend time without being pressured to do drugs or drink.

Several churches host events or activities for the community. Participating in sober activities will keep you occupied and distracted from your drug cravings while keeping you off the streets. You may find that participating in their volunteer opportunities will also give you a new purpose to fill the void that your addiction left behind.

Addiction can be likened to a black hole. It drains everything good from your life and leaves you with feelings of hopelessness and loneliness. A person struggling with a substance use disorder may feel as though they are fighting an impossible battle.

You can’t explain how your addiction grew so large. The habit was born to relax after a long day or loosen up in social settings. But, as time passed, this seemingly harmless habit transformed into something darker and sinister.

The situation may seem hopeless at this point. However, as walls surround you, you have no other option but to perpetuate the vicious cycle of addiction.

You might believe God has abandoned you, gone silent, and left you to fend for yourself. However, this is far from true.

In the light of the promises he makes, he promises deliverance from our sinful decisions and forgiveness for our transgressions. If we ask and seek Him, He will be there for us. You can find strength in His embrace if you take refuge in it.

How to Overcome Addiction through God

We can overcome the most powerful addictions with God’s love and achieve sustained sobriety and success through him. As you turn to God for help in overcoming your addiction, keep these points in mind:

• The love of God is amazing

You have probably felt worthless because of addiction at times, but you should remember that God sees through your faults and loves you regardless of what your addiction has done to you. God does not expect his children to be perfect.

The only thing he asks is for you to remain hopeful toward overcoming your sins and strive to attain his everlasting love. You can manage an addiction if you are willing to sacrifice and put in the effort. It requires you to admit your weaknesses while striving for something more powerful.

• Experiencing trials helps us grow because it’s the way we mature

Our primary way of growing both emotionally and spiritually is to learn how to deal with difficult situations in life. It is important to remember this fact and find joy even for tumultuous experiences in life, as James 1:2-4 teaches us.

Addiction is a sinful lifestyle and if you look at it closely not everyone chose to be addicted. Some people became addicted because of peer pressure and influence. While some people became addicted because of mere curiosity.

However, irrespective of how the person got addicted, they can still be helped by the Grace of God.

Now, it is imperative to mention that addiction is a sin that draws someone away from God. When you are addicted, your fellowship with God is strained because you have a new central focus, the addiction.

In the life of a believer, there is a struggle between Grace and Sin. A part of the believer wants to do away with the addiction but the other part wants to continue in the addiction.

Hence, the believer would find himself switching between sin and repentance. It is usually a challenging one for the believer if he has not fully submitted himself to God. The believer would also find it difficult to communicate regularly with God because of his addicted lifestyle.

Also, it would be hard to fulfill God’s mandate because his mind is fixated on the addiction. The believer needs help to overcome addiction, and one of the ways to get this is through the church. The church can be all kinds of good things depending on how you interpret it to be.

The believer needs to open up to trusted spiritual leaders and counselors in the church who would be able to help out.

When the believer seeks the help of people who can help, it would be easier to conquer addiction in no time. Also, he would be able to understand how to access God’s grace to help him fight addiction.

The believer is advised not to ignore the input of a rehab. A rehab plays a pivotal role in restoring the health of an individual back on track especially if they are suffering from addiction or mental health disorders.  

Hence, God’s help in conjunction with a rehab would be quintessential in conquering addiction.

Addiction is a compulsive brain disorder that is challenging to overcome. Usually, it starts as abuse before it develops into an addiction. Broadly speaking, there are two addiction types, substance and behavioral addiction.

Someone who is addicted would at various point want to conquer their addiction, but the pleasure derived from it is greater. Hence, they would continue to dwell in their addiction hoping that one day, they would get better.

The truth is, some people might never get the chance to recover from addiction, but if you are in Christ, you will definitely get better.

The sad part is, several believers do not know their identity in Christ and they don’t know how Grace helps them to overcome challenging areas in their life like addiction.

It is important to mention that God’s grace is sufficient for everyone, and if you are battling any area of your life, you need his Grace to pull through.

One of the things Grace does to you is helping you with your fellowship with God. Undeniably, addiction is a sin that tends to strain your relationship with God.

However, if you come to acknowledge God as your source and help, he impacts Grace that would help you survive addiction.

Addiction is not something that drops off immediately. It is as result of deliberate act and prayers. More so, going to a rehab would come in handy because physical treatment is needed. You need to know the root cause of your addiction and this is what the rehab helps you know.

Hence, as you receive treatment in the rehab, you rely on God’s grace to help you pull through. Addiction treatment could have a mental toll on your health particularly because you will be lonely. No one would want to associate with you.

With God’s grace, you will be able to pull through addiction in good health, and you will have a better outlook at life. Also, you will be able to plan your life well, in line with God’s words.  

Not everyone understands the concept of Grace, particularly those who do not understand basic Christian principles. Addiction is a sinful act in Christianity, and it is something which causes destruction eventually.

Addiction does not result well for anyone. An addicted person will continue to indulge in their addiction, not minding the resulting effect which is usually detrimental.

An addicted person thinks only of themselves, and no one else. This implies that, they would naturally put their addiction above anyone else.

This is usually the reason why addicted persons have strained relationships. Addicted persons get their pleasure from their addiction, and they do not consider anything when their sinful act is ongoing.

Addiction also has the capacity to worsen the nature of the individual, and other aspects of the person’s life is affected because they have totally submitted themselves to their addiction.

Now, there is one advantage which Christians have other people, and that is Grace. This is what helps Christians to overcome addiction.

Grace is bigger than sin, and when Christians enjoy God’s grace, this implies that they can overcome addiction, and the cravings and triggers which comes with it. Since Grace came into place, and overcame the law, there is no sin which God’s grace cannot overcome, and addiction is one of them.

Addiction is a selfish nature which can be forgiven by God. There are some school of thoughts who believe that addiction cannot be forgiven, but they are misinformed.

When we accept the love which God has for us, it ensures we are connected to our higher calling which is spiritual, and it can help us to overcome addiction.

One of the places where you can access the Grace which comes with accepting the love of God, is a church. It can also be gotten in a Christian rehab.

This is one of the reasons why a Christian rehab is highly rated than a secular rehab. They make addiction treatment look so effortless, even though they still employ some of the conventional processes involved.

In Christianity, addiction can be regarded as being sinful, because it is an act which eventually results in destruction. It is something which does not end good for anyone. A person who is addicted knows about this, even though they are not fully conscious about it. The truth still remains that, since they go on with their addictive act, it is what makes it sinful.

Basically, someone who is addicted would be a selfish person, as they would only think about themselves, and no one else. The pleasure which they derive from the addiction process is self-satisfactory and hence, they do not put anyone into consideration when carrying out their sinful act.

Addiction also improves the worse nature of the individual, and makes their better nature worse. It also destroys any form of relationship which the person has with anyone. In addition, the person’s health, finances and the likes are also adversely affected.

However, one benefit which Christians enjoy is Grace, and this is what aids Christians in overcoming addiction. Grace is much bigger than the nature of sin. When Grace took the place of the Law, sin became a thing of the past, as it was forgiven now and always.

There was no sin under the penalty of the law anymore. Better put, this meant that, there was simply no sin which God could not forgive, no matter the degree. Hence, this also includes addiction in the list.

Addiction is a condition whereby the person is obsessed and focused on a specific form of pleasure which is either given by a substance or an act. It is a sinful and selfish state which can be forgiven because of the grace of God. There are some schools of thoughts who are of the opinion that addiction cannot be forgiven. However, since Grace is in the picture, it is overlooked and it becomes a thing of the past.

Receiving forgiveness because of Grace ensures that we are linked to our highest calling, and this Grace can be extended to other addicts, as it can help them in overcoming addiction.

When grace replaced the law, sin was forgiven for all time. Every type of sin was no longer under the penalty of the law. There was no sin that was too hideous for God to forgive. Addiction was included in this list. Addiction is a state where a person is consumed by and focused on one pleasure giving substance or process. It is a sinful, selfish and broken state to be trapped in, but it is forgiven by the grace of God. There are those who insist that addiction is inexcusable, but through the eyes of grace, an addict is beautiful and forgiven.

Addiction is sinful because it is destructive. It does not do any good for anyone. Any person who is addicted understands this on some level, even if they are not totally conscious of it. The fact that they continue with their addiction despite this awareness is what makes it sinful. Grace is bigger than the sinful nature that gives way to addiction and it is capable of forgiving it.

Addiction is selfish in nature. The person who is addicted is only thinking of themselves when they are participating in their addiction. The pleasure they receive from their addiction is completely self serving. And it serves a person’s worse nature while defeating their better nature. Addiction damages a person’s personal relationships, reputation, finances and health, yet they selfishly still pursue it. Grace is big enough to forgive this selfishness as well and wipe the slate clean.

And lastly, addiction indicates brokenness. People develop addictions in order to cope with life. Addiction is obviously not a sustainable coping mechanism. It is an unhealthy one that does more harm than it does good. It allows a person to escape rather than confronting their problems. Grace came to do a lot of things, not the least of which was forgive brokenness. Grace offers the broken compassion and a soft place to fall.