Letter to a Friend....

So, a person I know has an addiction, many people have addictions. We can be addicted to drugs, alcohol, shopping, food, sex, money, etc., the list goes on and on. This is my letter to my friend...

Dear Friend,
I have some hard things to tell you. This might be painful at times, and seem unloving. I just can't sit here and watch you continue to ruin your life and the life of those around you. I know you have that pit in your stomach, the one that you feel when people bring up your addiction. And I'm sorry you feel that way. Maybe that feeling is a nudge from God. He really wants to help you, but you have to let him. Not on a surface level, not by telling people that you have been healed and then secretly continuing your addiction. You really have to let him help you if you want out.

What makes something an addiction? An inability to stop, an absolute helplessness. An addiction is something that is so much bigger than you, it becomes the number one focus of your life, you can't stop doing it. That is sin. Addiction is living as a slave to Satan, and your sinful flesh. The deception is in the fact that you are helpless to it, you can't free yourself, so you just give in to the addiction and give up. And in giving up, you continue to be a slave to your addiction, you don't want to change, you just don't want to get caught. You believe the lie.

That's exactly what Satan wants. He wants to ruin your life, your marriage, your kids, your health, he wants you in hell with him.

But there is a way out... and it's a hard road. But God is bigger than any horrible thing you can imagine. But you have to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus Christ. God sent him to save you from your sin. It is the only way that you can be released from your addiction. And you know who Jesus is, you claimed to have let him into your heart years ago. But sin and God can not dwell in the same heart. I urge you to ask for forgiveness and rededicate your life to God. Ask Jesus back into your heart so the Holy Spirit can indwell in you. It's the only way out.

Romans 6:6-14 says "We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace."

I'm praying for you, my friend. I'm praying that you will consider these words carefully, and make a decision. I'm praying that God will surround you with loving friends to help you and hold you accountable so you can finally conquer your addiction.

In God's Love and Grace,
Angie