Note from Pastor: “Addicted to God” New Ways of Seeing and Walking Free Part 5
“The unfolding of Your words gives life; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130) The world uses only one metaphor to describe our struggle with addiction: “disease.” But the world does not say, “Addiction is like disease.” The world says, “Addiction is disease,” which is neither theologically nor medically correct. To truly “recover” from addiction, sinful addiction must be replaced with holy addiction, for addiction is merely a perverted form of worship. Even organizations like AA confess that addiction is a “spiritual struggle that needs spiritual healing.” The word “disease” certainly does describe how addiction makes us feel controlled by something, but it omits that the control of addiction is a voluntary enslavement by the addict. The Bible gives us five metaphors to describe addictive behavior: idolatry, adultery, foolishness, attacks by a wild beast, and disease. So far in this series we have learned the biblical definition of addiction involves voluntary slavery, showing signs of both purposefulness and victimization. Idolatry-Addiction is emphasized in the Bible as particularly victimizing the addict. The Bible often portrays this victimization as being captured by a wild beast. Never forget this: both Satan and sin are like wild beasts. “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) “Sin is crouching at the door and desires to have you.” (Genesis 4:7) What sets this metaphor for addiction apart from the others is that there is no subtlety here. There is no “wooing attractive woman;” no promises that cannot be kept. It’s just plain old in-your-face, rip-you-apart warfare. Sin and Satan victimize. They enslave and the earlier we see their true intent, the more opportunity we have to be prepared to victoriously fight. How does this metaphor of addiction as a hungry, devouring, wild beast help the addict, and help us to help addicts? It teaches us that we must ALWAYS be on the alert. The “wild beast of addiction-false worship” is waiting to pounce at every turn, waiting for us to let our guard down. Vigilance is key in fighting addiction. It can strike anywhere at any time. It is just waiting for us to think it is gone. Secondly, this metaphor helps because it exposes the “true wild beast.” As FDR said, “We have seen the enemy, and he is us!” At first glance, we may think the “beast” is alcohol, or pornography, or drugs, but upon closer inspection we realize the true “beast” is our own sinful desires within our heart; our own love of pleasure, comfort, ease, escape, et al. Addiction is a form of false worship; desiring something more than God; and then it devours us. The addict must learn to worship God properly. Lastly, this metaphor helps the addict and those helping the addict by reminding us that we must be prepared to fight. We must all realize that even though we may feel like we cannot defeat this foe right now (and sometimes we don’t even want to), sobriety is God’s plan for you. And because overcoming addiction is God’s will, He provides all the tools we need to do so. God would not command us to do something we are not able to do (1 Corinthians 10:13). And so, we must learn HOW to fight. And there is power and comfort for the addict who hears others say, “It may not seem like much, but I am going to continue to fight alongside of you.” Lord willing, we will continue next time. In the meantime, fight on!
