Are You Lying To Yourself?

Do you suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction? Do you tell yourself you can't help it? Social workers tell you that you have a disease. It's a lie. The only people who can't help it are the children born with alcohol fetal syndrome or born addicted to drugs because their mother drank or took drugs while she was pregnant. Diseases are not caused by the things we ingest (unless it has to do with prescription drugs that cause other problems, or things added to our foods). Diseases are caused by free radicals that our bodies react to. We are born with cancer cells but most of us are healthy enough for our bodies to fight them and so they don't develop.

God loves the alcoholic. He loves the drug addict. He loves you too much to leave you that way. That's why He has led people to develop programs and sponsors to help you overcome. The whole human race was born with one disease: sin. It is the cancer of the soul. And God made a way to conquer it. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for our sins on the cross and to take our penalty. Through His might and His power, we can conquer our sin nature. No, we won't be perfect, but we wont' keep repeating the same sin over and over again.

We have Alcoholics Anonymous, which has weekly meetings where you meet people who are also struggling with addiction, and not just alcohol. You get a sponsor and spiritual guidance to help you find your way out of the morass of grief, sadness, anger, self-loathing, and guilt that keep you down. Some Independent Baptist churches have a program called Reformers Unanimous. It's a study program that uses scripture to help you find the strength you need to overcome. The Assemblies of God church has a program called Teen Challenge, which is really more for teens and young adults (up to age 30, I believe). It's a live-in arrangement with a group of either male or female (depending on your gender) fellow strugglers. There are leaders there who understand the problems you face. There is daily Bible study and they teach job skills to help you make it in life when you leave there. It isn't free but they may be able to find people willing to sponsor your stay while you get clean and learn how to live for God. It is a structured environment and they are compassionate and caring.

But please stop lying to yourself and giving yourself excuses for your life being a mess. You can make it. But you have to admit that you have a problem and you also have a choice. Don't tell yourself you can't help it. With God's help you can. God bless.