“I struggle with pornography.”
“I have a problem with alcohol.”
“I can’t stop smoking.”
These statements often result in prayer and intercession, counseling and possibly rehabilitation. Christians have a heart to help the people who fall into these addictions, because God wants His people to overcome them, right?
If that’s the case, shouldn’t that include all addictions?
These are just a few of the addictions that Christians, including myself, let slide under the radar.
1. Coffee
I’m a coffee lover, and though it started as an occasional indulgence, college ushered it into a daily habit. After being confronted, I realized I needed coffee more than I believed I did, and the thought of giving it up made me almost angry. Do you see the red flags? Coffee has become more of a trend than a drink, an appearance over the nutrient. For those of us who cling to this beverage, we need to ask ourselves ‘why?’
2. Social Media
Nowadays having social media is almost as necessary as having a cell phone. How else are you supposed to stay connected with friends, market your talents, or stay up to date with current events? I find myself browsing through my media accounts seeing the same dozen posts because I just checked it five minutes before. It’s something for our fingers and eyes to do, and we spend hours scrolling because we haven’t reached the point where we’re satisfied. How many minutes do we waste a day and is that healthy?
3. Video Streaming
“Done with this TV series, what should I watch next?” I’ve seen this post and I’ve shared the same thoughts. With Netflix, watching TV or movies is at our fingertips. When we binge watch a show and feel the loss and sadness when it’s over, we jump right on to the next to fill that silence. We justify vegging out to our feel good show, but we should consider, what we watch, how much we watch, and how it affects our minds in the long run.
4. Junk Food
Salty or sweet, we are simply drawn to foods that will never be healthy for our bodies, and every one of us has their weak spot. Mine is chocolate. Like coffee, if it’s difficult to give up even for a few days, you may need to reflect on the root of addiction. Foods that become addictions lead to gluttony and I don’t think I need to prove that point in our society.
“[The grace of God] instructs us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” -Titus 2:12 (NIV)
The only reason I can point any of these out is because I can relate to all of them. They all have some hold on my life and as a Christian, I believe God wants to break every chain, not just the ones we declare harmful. Addictions of any kind affect how we live for God and that alone is why Christians should take them seriously.
What I’ve learned is that we keep coming back to these things because we’re not satisfied. And though something may seem harmless, like an idol, our dependency on it can sneak in and distract us from the One we’re supposed to depend on.
Pray for me as I begin to wean myself from these things as I will pray for those of you who may be caught in these snares too.
God bless!
-LJM
Leah Jordan Meahl 