Is there really such a thing as a "healthy addiction?"
I think I have an addictive personality. Alcohol, meth, or oxycontin are not my drugs of choice, though. My "fix" involves some things that some would applaud. Working into the night "for Jesus," answering emails, working on my dissertation, and writing various plans and strategies, all earn the praise of men.
But...anything that provides an artificial "feel good" apart from Jesus is an idol, even if it is a "noble" thing. And addictions rarely if ever result in positive outcomes. As one of my mentors told me years ago, "Toby, workaholics are addicted to work, but you should be more concerned with the quality of results than the amount of work you are doing."
The problem with addictions is that even the "healthy" ones manifest a personality type that spills over into the unhealthy...like when one little spoonful of ice cream ends up being most of a half-gallon carton! Another problem is that even the "good" addictions tend to replace Christ as the Lord of a person's life. Why settle for the "good" when you can have the "best"?
Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. Addicts may not be just in the gutter or the back rooms. They are all around me. They may even BE me! Can even a noble thing (or "high" thing referred to in this passage of scripture) become an addiction? What do you think?
Toby Frost
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It strikes me that we may be part of the cause of our young people's unhealthy addictions. We are always talking about what a great student someone is or how they are on the honor roll or they are a college graduate or they are a super athlete or cheerleader. Even though these young folks deserve the praise ~ I think the less skilled or intelligient or popular get left out and fall between the cracks. Their self-esteem just bottoms because according to us if they aren't one of the super excellers, they must be losers or failures. They turn to alcohol and drugs that make them feel like they belong somewhere even if it's not the right place. What's the solution ~ not sure ~ I pray that our church will address this before one more slips between the cracks!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with your blog, but it's NOT only up to the church to address this situation, but up to parents and finally up to each individual. Paul reminded the christians in Corinth asking them "if the Spirit dwelled in them, and furthermore, did they know that their body was the temple of the Holy Spirit?". WHY?, then are we so often powerless, defeated, and fearful of the things that happen not only in our lives, but in the lives of our children, and as you put it "they fall between the cracks?" The answer is found in OUR OWN failure to take this truth to heart. We try to live in OUR own strength. We DON'T give God's spirit FULL control over our lives. We grieve God's spirit with our disobedience and quench His power in each of us by our own half-heartedness. (Eph 4:30, Thess 5:19). But we don't have to live that way! God's spirit is yearning to help each of us. We must recognize His presence, depend on Him, and SUBMIT to Him. (Eph 5:18) Then, as we walk in His Spirit (Gal. 5:16) He will produce in each of us love, joy, peace (over each situation we face in life) gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and SELF-CONTROL" (Gal 5:22-23)
ReplyDeleteBelieve me it's tough,(I know from my own experiences) but it WILL work!!!