Speak Life
I recently asked for ONE negative word on social media to describe the main forefront feeling while either in addiction or an addicts loved one. I got about 23 different words; mine was included among the 23 words.
As both an addicts loved one and one who was once living in addiction, I can relate to every feeling they mentioned. As I am sure they can all relate to each feeling just as well.
I want to share with you this list in no particular order: ridiculed, powerless, broken, angry, consequences, worry, lost, guilt, isolated/tion, judgement, shame, sadness, exhausting, hopelessness, abandoned, worthless, depression, burden, valueless, helpless, enabling, denial, and junky.
These words, though they have different meaning, are all related in a sense. They all come from a place of pain, a place of darkness, they were all felt because that is what addiction does. It brings death to all things good and wonderful; it holds back blessings and feeds into the negativity. It’s a mental take over to which it creates paranoia and co-dependency.
No one is born an addict though. More times than not it happens because of abuse, trauma, or experimenting gone too far, a family cycle that needs to be broken, maybe even a medical condition, or a broken heart trying to numb the pain.
For me, I wanted to feel good. I wanted to forget where my pain came from, I was searching for love in all the wrong places and believing love was a substance I needed to survive, to laugh, to be happy, to be energized, and get through just one more day, just to belong in a place where it didn’t hurt anymore. I was wrong. We all were.
Now let us speak life, because there is great news in all this y’all, we may be ridiculed by the world, but we are blessed and accepted by God. We may be powerless to save but we know a guy who is mighty to save. God is near to the broken in spirit. He teaches us how to set aside our anger through leading by example of Him being slow to anger and has mercy and grace in our consequences. How comforting is that?
He reminds us that if He cares for the sparrow then surely, He will meet our needs right where we are at. There is a shepherd who left the 99 to find His lost sheep. What a relief, right?
We can feel the guilt and be forgiven by true confession and repentance. It is in the isolation that we are able to block out the world and be one on one with God. His judgement is the only one that matters. We do not have to be ashamed of where we have been, that journey was equipped and brought us right where God can use us. Isn’t that amazing?
We can feel the sadness, and then JOY comes in the morning. When we are exhausted in and on all things, we can rest so God’s strength can recharge our minds, and bodies. We are not hopeless; there is ALWAYS hope. Hope lives within us. We are never abandoned nor forsaken; God thought we were worth His Sons sacrifice and that is a price worth more than we could ever imagine. Now that is true love!
He says come all who are weary and heavy burdened and He will give us rest; He is our great Physician and ultimate healer from the inside out. We are loved and valued at the cross. We can choose to enable for the addiction or enable for sobriety for the glory of God our Heavenly Father. That is true beauty!
Confession sets us free and we are no longer labeled as a junky; we are redeemed and called a child of God in the name of Jesus!
