Helping Addicts by Showing Love

0
480

I recently came across an article that talks about that the opposite of addiction is connection.

https://upliftconnect.com/opposite-addiction-connection/

When I read this, I thought that it is true, that we can help others to leave their addictions by making connections. In fact, one of the things that we learn from Scripture is that God created us to be relational.

Acts 2:42 (NKJV): And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV): Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

There are others but basically, we are encouraged to fellowship so that we can encourage each other and to help each other to walk away from our old lives, to disciple each other.

I started to think about when I was doing recovery through secular means, it was encouraged to be part of a group that would help you to stay away. I thought about the love I felt and how I would want to be sober because I knew it could potentially keep me away from those whom have come to love me and I have learned to love. A lot of people fall into their addictions because they feel lonely. Either they do not have people around them that they can look to for relationships or they are struggling and don’t feel that they have the support they need. As a result, they turn to something they feel will make them feel better.

It’s interesting to see that people start to desire to leave their addictions or are more successful in staying away from them when they have support around them. They feel more empowered to do what’s right. They actually feel that they have support and do not have to turn to the things that they felt made them feel better.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV): And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

It seems that we are encouraged to keep each other accountable

Proverbs 27:17 (NKJV): As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

James 5:16 (NKJV): Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

I think about the story of the ember:

The Lonely Ember

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.

After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.

After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination.

As the one lone ember’s flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.”

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”

by Dr. John MacArthur

As we can see, it would account that someone had people surrounding them, they would be led to do what’s right.

Do you know an addict? Show them love. Listen to their struggles. Offer them help or to help them find help. Don’t enable them but led them to where they can get that help they need. If you need help in doing that, feel free to reach out to me, cross66info@gmail.com. I would be willing to help you led that person. They would receive it from someone they know faster than from someone thy didn’t.

Until next time:

Ezekiel 37:1-14 (NKJV):

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.