Mistaken Identity
Editorial Perspective
Addictions . . . The list to which people are chained seems to be almost endless and growing every day. Stressful activities (whether at school, work, stores, home or church) lead many to self-medicate, with drugs and harmful habits, to escape the negative feelings.
Isn’t there a better way to cope with these negative feelings of unhappiness, fear, self-doubt, worry and shame? Yes, and it doesn’t cost anything except willingness to stop cheating themselves. Most are not living life at its best, because they are not taking full advantage of the resources available to them right where they are.
The best resources are those that come in the form of people who are supportive and loving as Christ loves. Jennifer Jill Schwirzer’s article in this issue reveals the exciting power of love as a resource, which is able to confront and provide what is needed for the addict to find freedom from his or her addiction.
The most successful 12 Step groups (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sexaholics Anonymous) and Christ-centered groups (such as The Journey to Wholeness) are those that have loving people participating. They help each other deal with life’s challenges in better ways other than with their substance use/abuse or harmful addictive behavior.
To be this kind of loving, supportive resource to an addict, Jesus Christ needs us (His disciples):
- “To be with Him.”
- “That we might be sent forth to preach.”
- “And have power to heal sicknesses, and cast out devils.”
Notice that before His disciples minister to others they must first be WITH HIM. There is a world of people waiting for His disciples to be “with Him” who then can effectively serve the needs of the addicted.
Ray Nelson, MDiv, MSPH