Is the Pleasure Worth the Addiction?

 

Having been held captive by a variety of sins and strongholds throughout my life and some still rearing their ugly head from time to time, I can honestly say the pay off from indulging in sin is not worth the result of depression, hopelessness, separation from God, discouragement, consequences to a greater or lesser degree, isolation, shame, and a total lack of joy in God.

The tricky part about engaging in our sins of choice is that surely, they are pleasurable and we enjoy them.  Then within time, when bondage takes place and we feel controlled by whatever it is we keep feeding, we might cry out to God and plead for His intervention and deliverance...all to turn back to our old ways within a matter of time.

Having gone through this cycle many times, I am beginning to realize how greatly sin blinds us, distorts our view of life, others, and ourselves, and gives us an almost insatiable longing for the sin we have been clinging to when in the end, sin really does "use us, abuse us, and then spit us back out."

I encourage readers of the Emma Joy blog to seek help immediately over your strongholds.  Don't put it off.  Call a Bible-believing Pastor, small group leader, youth worker, or Bible study group and let them know what it is you are dealing with and ask for suggestions they have on how to overcome your addictions.

So often, we fear being found out because of embarrassment or assuming we are the only ones who deal with any particular stronghold - yet this really is not the case at all.

Countless people view pornography and feel trapped by the constant hunger for it, many people can't stop their addiction to masturbation, a lot of people engage in self-injury, and still others drink alcohol or do drugs of sorts even while realizing the consequences that follow or feeling really empty inside.

We must ask ourselves if being trapped in a vicious cycle of impurity (etc.) is worth the momentary pleasures it brings or if stepping out in faith and seeking godly counsel is a better and more rewarding choice.