Addictions
Proverbs 25:28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.
Matthew 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, but protect us from the evil one.
Romans 6:11-14 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. for sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law but under grace
Romans 12:1-2 , 12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God . . . rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what your are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of the escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Galatians 5:1, 16-17 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. . . . I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish
Titus 2:11-12 for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
James 1:12-15 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown brings forth death.
James 4:7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:8-10 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
I was addicted to cigarettes for years. When I started smoking I was 15, and somehow my two friends and I thought it was cool and elegant, and oh, so grown up. We would take our allowances into town and sneak into a store and buy a pack or cigarettes. Then we would sneak close to home to a field and because of recent work that had been going on, there were three large cement tubes, about 10 feet long, and with an inner circumference of 4 ft, so plenty of area to sit inside, chat and smoke cigarettes, believing we were classy young adults.
I was the one who was the heaviest smoker—I liked the psychological thoughts of coolness, I liked the fact it was easier for me to talk with strangers and people I did not know so well, having something to do with my hands, and somehow calming me down for easier conversations. My two friends were not as impressed; one did continue smoking but having five or less cigarettes a day. The other did not like it and passed without trying more than a total of 4-5 cigarettes in her lifetime.
For 15 years, I smoked steadily, then because of a vow stopped. At the time, there was no nicotine gum, or patches that could help with the intense feelings of withdrawal from nicotine. During that time, my brain was foggy. In fact, I drove a standard shift vehicle, and the morning I faced without a cigarette, I got my son ready for day care, put him in his car seat, jumped in the driver’s seat, turned the key. . . I had no idea how to shift the car as my habit was to jump in, light a cigarette, then turn the key and go. For several moments, long enough for my son to ask why we were not going, I was unsure what to do. That was scary. I was a registered nurse in an ICU and it was critical my brain be able to move quickly to identify patient needs, possible complications that might be trying to rear their issues. I got the car in reverse, then my hands did their automatic shifting. I remember chuckling at the absurdity, but there was an inner area that was nervous and a little scared.
I counted hours when the worst of the cravings would strike. Yay! It’s been 20 hours…yippee, I have made it 22.5 hours and now going to bed, so one day down! Thank You!. Each day, I would realize the number of hours I had not given into smoking, and I would mentally reward myself, all the while praying I could continue to gain hours and not fail.
During this time, my mother, my son and I drove to Vermont, and she commented on the fact I had not smoked. I told her it had been 294.5 hours since my last cigarette. . .working into the 13th day. She was pleased, and asked what I was doing. I responded suffering, but also pretending to “smoke” by raising fingers as though I had a cigarette, then would make the motions as though smoking, taking in a large breath, holding it, then slowly letting it out. Also, when able I would brush my teeth. Deep breaths helped, but I was never feeling relaxed, and wondered if I would truly be able to get beyond this and not have this intense craving. But I continued counting hours and days, and then after almost eight weeks, I was no longer touched by yearnings, and most often found the smell of someone else smoking gross. For ten years I did not have a cigarette.
When I began again, it was a stressful situation full of anger, anxiety, nervousness, and a friend came to our home for the first time for a party for one of our sons, my husband was drunk at 3 PM, and I was mortified and embarrassed and angry. As she and her husband entered, I asked for a cigarette—and the non-smoking period then was done.
Why was I smoking and finding it so hard to quit? Yes, I found it relaxing, easier to chat with others, but I knew it was not good for me. It was one of the major health risks, it was expensive, my clothing and hair smelled all the time. What WAS I doing? For being fairly intelligent, I was certainly proving I could act a fool.
The sin is mine, the continuation of disobeying and falling into the abyss of smoking when I had worked hard to quit, and now was held captive by own addiction and weakness. I already knew my body was supposed to be a temple to honor Him. I was not doing that; and could not seem to rid myself of this sin AGAIN. I was like a moth which had gotten entangled in the spider web–unable to free myself, and therefore feeling more and more a failure, a sinner, and deeply in a prison with chains.
I smoked again for another few years, then again decided to throw them down and “honor my body as His temple.” Now, though, nicotine patches were available, so the withdrawal was much simpler. I applied a patch each day and although I occasionally wanted the “actions” of smoking, there was no physical craving, no brain fog, no increased anxiety, and fear.
Thankfully, that was the last of that addiction besting me. I do not think anything could make me smoke again; at least I think I have more ammunition to fight the desires with God’s word, the power of the Holy Spirit, my recognition that my body is His temple.
In the years since, I have turned from “innocent” things that could cause addiction. For several years, I watched Law and Order: SVU. But it was violent, and the crimes disgusted me. I turned it off permanently. Since then, I have done so with many shows that something in it was against what I felt God was permitting me to watch. If it made me uncomfortable. Gone. Goodbye.
Because realize I have an addictive personality, I avoid anything that I fear I could want a lot and could become a problem. I also trust in the Holy Spirit to tell me clearly to stay away from something that could become a problem for me.
Lord, thank You for Your help in helping me overcome the addiction of smoking and showing me some shows I was watching were not what You wanted for my mind and brain to see and think on. You have been so wonderful guiding me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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