Addicted? Are you really?

What a journey! Chris and I arrived in Singapore last evening. It was quite the trip. You would think, 'what can you do on a plane for 20 hours?' Many things, I tell you! I did not even realize we were flying for that long. I just hope the trip back is the very similar. Well, since I had well over 20 hours to think, I did just that. I started thinking about addiction. Now, this came about because I watched many news reports on the death of Amy Winehouse. At first, I had the same reaction as most people, 'I thought that would happen.' But, then I started thinking about how tortured that thought really is. I gave up hope that she could be healed. I also pinned my self righteousness up against hers, and to my dismay, I won.

Addiction is a battle that everyone fights. In this world, we are all addicted to something or in some cases someone, which could very well be ourselves! What separates us from Amy is that were are closet addicts. Sometimes, it can be hard to see what we are addicted to. For me, I will tell you, I am addicted to vanity. I care about how I look physically and on the inside and care about it at all costs. I have suffered disorder eating, over exercising, people pleasing, and many other slave behaviors because of it. I have said yes, when I meant no. I have manipulated, lied, and cheated my way to being seen as "the perfect person." But, the reality is that my addiction has lead to broken relationships, sickness, and the exact opposite of what I was trying to achieve, identity.

Amy Winehouse may have had many addictions but, God never gave up hope. God never gives up hope that we can be healed. He looks at us and sees the way we were meant to be over the way were currently are. You are more valued than your addiction. There is nothing more powerful than God's ability to overcome our sin. He made it clear when he put an innocent man up on a cross to show you that he wants your victory. Think about what drives your day. What are you constantly thinking about? That is the thing you are addicted to. And, today, God can change your way of thinking. Today, you can repent, and be made new. Its a matter of asking.

So let's stop being slaves to things that will give us no reward. And, think and reflect on the idea that when we hold on to something so tightly, it will usually slip through our fingers. But, if we trust that God knows more than we can see, we will hold on to his love and everything else will fade in the distance.