Addiction 1

Here's a new topic... Can you guess what it is based on the picture?
The topic is addiction, and the odd thing is that is it is something that most people are guilty of.
This is something that I would love to spend some more time examining beyond this post. I would love for people to share their stories about personal addictions or addiction in the family.

I was at a coffee shop with a friend today, and I was talking about this blog topic and his first question was, "What is your addiction?" No hesitations, no doubt. Most people have past times that they are not particularly proud of, and would love to find a way to break free of them, but they find that it is easier said than done.

These addictive pastimes take away from the time that we spend in communion with God. These pastimes can suck up our lives, and our time, infect everything we love and care for, and we can make ourselves slaves to believing that these things are fulfilling our needs.

Read this verse from part Galatians 5:

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 

It may sound silly to some, but to others there is the realization that these things can be idols that become the centre of our lives, the thing that we feel that we require for our existence, our master... or even held so highly that it may take the place of God in our lives and become a false god, something that we are serving.

Part of Psalm 40 says:

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.[b]

Let's take a minute and meditate on these verses and we will continue on this topic. Please share any stories you wish to share.