Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Addicts welcome (yes, that means you, too...)

Someone took issue with a testimony posted on the Jesus Army website the other day. It was the story of a guy who'd got free from addictions through his faith in Jesus. (Check it out.) They wrote: 'So what ur saying is christians don't have addictions?? Now I've heard it all.'

Actually that wasn't what the article was saying. But nevertheless, there can be a danger that Christians, keen to broadcast the amazing change Christ brings, can over egg the cake and present a picture rosier than the reality. It's misleading.

Christians do suffer from disorders, disease - and addiction.

In fact, I reckon most people suffer from addiction of one kind or another. Some are big and life-wrecking (harmful habits, substance abuse, whatever). Others are more subtle but destructive nonetheless (minor obsessions, skewed thinking...) Christians are no exception to that at all.

But they have found hope of something better in Jesus who breaks the power of all addiction (or, to use the older word, all sin). So perhaps the only difference is they acknowledge their need and ask for help.

As a Christian - I do truly believe Jesus answers that prayer, bit by bit, over a lifetime - and after.

2 comments:

loz said...

True; as I often say "there's only one sane man in the universe- Jesus"

Nice one

Fabio Cunha said...

7 years ago( 8 years in the faith) I was a very committed Christian. I was also addicted to pornography. At first I didn't really see it as a "addiction", but as something normal, stuff that men in their early 20's do. It took me years to realise that it was leading me nowhere but depression, loneliness and low self esteem. Then some Christian friends helped me to find a way out of it, and be released from my addiction. But Christians do have addictions, we do have real friends( and a real GOD) that help us out of it too!!!