Monday, July 15, 2019

A Major Reason We Stay Stuck in Addiction






As recently posted in the Emma Joy Weekly Newsletter


A Key Ingredient in Overcoming Our Strongholds


Hello, everyone!


I really regret not utilizing writing over the last few years as often as I once did. It has served as a constructive outlet for me and it's really unfortunate that I wasn't consistent. There were reasons to be sure, but I am wanting to write more often from now on.


Today I'd like to address what often goes missing in our pursuit of freedom from the sins that bind us: making Jesus your first love, your highest priority, and your most treasured relationship. I'm sure I have addressed the need for keeping Christ front and center in our lives in previous newsletters or blog posts, but this truth hit me hard recently when I pondered why I am choosing to not live [a promiscuous] lifestyle or indulge in porn consumption whenever I get the urge for it (and there are plenty of times when I want to fully plummet myself in the depths of such depravity).


I realized that it is because I have been prioritizing the Lord above all other commitments and daily studying resources that enable spiritual growth and gaining insight and understanding over my sexual struggles which has opened my eyes to the deep wounds I carry and has equipped me to truly heal. And thus, my love for Him has grown and my desire to live for myself has decreased dramatically. It is only through intimacy with Christ that we begin to have the right perspective over everything.



I told my mom on a drive the other day that it is only when we treat the Lord with the respect and commitment He is worthy of that we begin to shun our idols and rest in His embrace. It is only when we seek the Lord fully and daily read much of His word (and apply it) that we experience the richness of intimacy with our Creator and understand more fully the depths of our poor choices and how they continuously and always pull us away from Him. It is only when we understand that life apart from a true commitment to the Lord will always end in regret and pain that we begin to search for Him who is able to keep us from the endless pitfalls our broken world has to offer.



We must see Christ through the lens of Scripture and surround ourselves with people who know Him well, people who are lifelong learners, people who diligently read edifying resources, and people who are working on becoming healthy, repentant, and growing in wisdom daily.



We must be willing to say no to the myriad of time-wasters vying for our attention and instead make seeking and serving the Lord our first priority.



We must be willing to grow up, mature, and spend our lives for the glory of God and the good of others if we ever wish to be pleased with how we've spent our brief years on this earth when we reach the end of our journey here.



We must spend time daily in praising God for His many attributes and in prayer asking Him to let everything in this world fall away in comparison to our relationship with Him.



We must honor the Lord as our authority by allowing Him to have first place in our decision-making.



Of course recovery from years of addiction or uprooting wrong ways of thinking or bad habits is the result of many steps, but unless we truly see God for who He is and treasure our walk with Him and guard it jealously from anything that would seek to uproot or diminish it, we simply will not remain repentant--especially long-term. We simply will not experience the growth and healing we desperately need and crave without Jesus being our first love and our most treasured relationship.



So when you are tempted, remember who Jesus is. When you want to let off all restraint and go wild with your sins of choice, remember Jesus. Remember His sacrifice on your behalf. Remember His pure love that wants only what is best for you. Remember His power, His goodness, and His mercy. Remember that He knows you intimately and is the only One who you can guarantee will never abandon or cruelly hurt or reject you. He is most worthy. He is most precious. He is trustworthy.

1 comments:

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