Addictions

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Monday, May 05, 2008 - Overcoming Our Addictions

I want to look at addictions. Now, your first reaction may be, "Well, this won't apply to me, because I'm not addicted to anything." Usually we associate addiction with alcohol or drugs.

But you know, I'm beginning to realize that most of us are addicted to something or other. We may call it by a more acceptable name such as a bad habit, or stuck in our old ruts, or some kind of dependency. They sound a little better than addiction, but in reality they are addictions.

An addiction is anything that tends to control your behavior rather than you controlling it. We are addicted to that which we cannot quit or that which we cannot keep in balance in our lives.

For example, people are addicted to work; you and I know many workaholics who literally are driven to work all the time. Others are quite the opposite, addicted to laziness. I know people who are addicted to spending money; they buy things they don't need and can't afford, but they can't seem to stop. All of us can relate to people who are addicted to food, and seem to be unable to stop their eating binges.

Think of the people who are addicted to sports, especially in this country. It goes far beyond enjoying a competitive game of some sort; their lives revolve around sports, either in participation or as a spectator. My son-in-law says at one time he was addicted to running. Others are addicted to television.

A listener indicated she was addicted to all her "stuff," and she just couldn't throw it out. A good friend of mine fights the addiction of biting her nails. When you have no control over yourself and can't do what you know you should do, you have to call it addiction.

I started to think about this addiction problem when God convicted me of some areas of addiction in my life. It wasn't much fun to have to admit there were some habits in my life which though not in themselves harmful, were starting to control me more than I was controlling them.

I'm certainly no expert on the topic, but I'd like to explore it with you. Think about areas of addiction in your life today. Maybe there are some you need to face up to, as I did.