Any Given Day: 36

Discipline.

Self control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If you have accepted Christ, it resides within you. Satan, a powerful enemy, understands this. Our temptations are many and varied. We all have weaknesses, we are all sinners...that does not make us bad people! We make bad choices and there are consequences for those behaviors.

A pathology begins to exist when we surround ourselves only with people who enable the behaviors and refuse to accept help from people who care. Examining why we behave the way that we do or hearing it from others is too much reality to face. It is always much easier to bury the truth under substances and activities designed to numb pain.

Breaking this cycle can only happen with God's help. Accepting that we are powerless over the temptations, asking for forgiveness, and praying for help and healing are key. Discipline then becomes a daily exercise to stretch our faith and flex our Godly muscles. Our relationships with people we love can begin to be restored and we can live with hope and joy!

A prayer for those struggling with toxic behaviors:

Powerful God, you alone know my heart and my weaknesses. Forgive me for the actions that hurt me and the people that I love. I have less control than I would like to have over the dark forces that exist all around me. Remind me to turn to you in times of weakness and assist me in strengthening my discipline and self control. In Christ's name, AMEN.

Proverbs 3:11-12

Any Given Day: 17

ADDICTION

Experts define addiction in any number of ways, usually with a bullet list of things to look for. God has an easier definition:

When we feel the compulsion to put anything in front of Him.

When our relationships with God and people are affected in a negative way by something we think we can control, but we can't.

When we need more and more of something in order to feel good, but it is ruining our health, finances, relationships, our reputation, and we feel worse than ever. We think only a fix will fix it.

Anyone can be addicted to anything. The reward center in the brain is a powerful thing. Some addictions are more physically damaging than others, but the key is to look at our relationships to determine if there is a problem. If there are a lot of people telling us the same thing, perhaps we should listen. They are saying it because they care, not because they want you to feel bad.

There are a million ways to get help. It is all in the asking. Admitting that we are powerless is the first step and bowing down broken in front of God can work wonders! A prayer for those of you who are battling the demons of addiction:

Lord, you are almighty and powerful. My addiction is stronger than me, but it is not stronger than You. Help me to see what everyone else sees so clearly in my life. There is something that is controlling me, I am not controlling it. Provide me with the courage and the strength to seek help and follow through. God, You deserve better from me, my family and those close to me deserve my full attention. I deserve a chance to find happiness in Your Son, rather than in my own addiction of choice. I pray for others who are struggling as well. Thank you, Lord, for loving me through all of this! AMEN

John 1:1-5