I've known several addicts over the years. The one I knew best was my dear friend Lanny who passed away last year. Knowing him made me realize I could never truly understand an addict's behavior. Really, there is no understanding it because it makes no sense. It almost seems like a form of insanity. Why would someone continue to do the very thing that is guaranteed to make them miserable, day in and day out, year in and year out? Why do they choose a slow death (alcohol, drugs, etc.) instead of life? A friend of mine (I'll call him Bill instead of using his real name) almost died from years of alcohol abuse. Guess what? Bill is drinking again and won't listen to anyone who tries to tell him he needs help. It's a helpless feeling to know the phone could ring at any time with news of his death. I pray every day that he will choose life over death, but I'm not overly optimistic, because there is one thing I do know about addicts: lying is a big part of their self destructive behavior, especially lying to themselves about the consequences of their actions.
I realize that no addict wakes up one morning and says "I think I'll become an addict today". It's a long downhill slide, and lots of things factor into it: childhood, environment, death of a loved one, etc. Every addict I've known has at their core a terrible sadness, a void in their soul they fill with something they believe will temporarily relieve the sadness, even when that is the very thing that is slowly destroying them. They are also manipulative and selfish; in fact, selfish would be the one adjective that best describes them. When their addiction is in full swing, they don't care about anyone or anything but themselves. Friends, family, and the consequences of their actions all take a back seat to fulfilling their desires. You can be their friend and try to help them, but you can't get drawn too far into their world. In the end, they have to be responsible for their actions and choose a different path.
There is no shortage of help available to addicts: books, support groups, professional counseling. However, true healing only occurs when the sadness is removed and the void in their soul is filled by something other than self destructive behavior. How? "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27, ESV) "Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." (Isaiah 59:1, NIV) "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:7-10, ESV) Carefully consider also these words of both hope and warning: "the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority." (2 Peter 2:9-10, NASB)
