My Beloved Addiction

(This book is also available in full color version under the same title.) My Beloved Addiction is a book that begins with a focus on overcoming addiction but ends up being a journey in Christian discipleship. Addiction is an intense expression of the same sin and idolatry that is common to all people. What sets addicts apart from other people is the degree of devotion to their sin and their willingness to sacrifice all else for it. All people are addicts at heart. Those who would be considered non-addicts are held back from full-blown addictions by some influences in their life. Non-addicts are unwilling to sacrifice everything else to the selfish idol called addiction. Addiction is, first and foremost, a spiritual problem. As such, true victory over addiction requires a spiritual solution. Many programs for addicts have a spiritual component. Some direct the addict to a god who will give them the strength needed to be sober. Yet the spiritual component of such programs is viewed as a means to sobriety and only addresses the symptoms of addiction. To the degree that some level of relief from the addition is achieved it masks the continuing presents of the root spiritual issue. For many, the program itself becomes a type of addiction, one with just less devastating consequences. For others, sobriety from one addiction is attained and another addiction takes it place. Apart from a true turning to the true God, the slavery and idolatry remain. Sobriety just makes the the devotion to the idol seem more acceptable. The addict's problem, like all people, is that he is separated from God because of sin. The solution to the problem is being restored to a right relationship with God. The solution is salvation that brings forgiveness of sins, the gift of righteousness, and peace with God. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus and by God's grace. Only the saved person has peace with God. All others remain separated from God in their sin and will spend eternity separated from God unless they turn to Jesus. To suggest a spiritual solution to addiction other than salvation in Jesus is like sending a person to worship at the temple of an idol. This is not something that God shows favor toward. When a person is saved, he becomes a follower of Jesus, a disciple. As a disciple he learns from Jesus and follows Jesus. As the disciple of Jesus becomes more and more like Jesus his thinking changes and his behaviors change. The change begins on the inside and is manifested on the outside. Instead of doing what he wants, he does what God wants. Instead of living completely for himself, he serves God and people. As a result of the changed heart, the behaviors of addiction are set aside because he now lives by faith, not by feelings. His focus is on serving and pleasing God, not on resisting addiction. The person who is saved continues to have desires that would lure him back into addiction. He still remembers the past with its moments of pleasure. He still faces temptation. However, he is no longer an addict. He now worships the true and living God. He has died with Jesus and in his new life he chooses to fulfill the desires of God's Spirit rather then the desires of the flesh. What began as a goal of overcoming a life dominating addiction has become a new life of peace with God. It is a life of praise, worship, and gratitude toward God for His grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness. The one who is forgiven much, loves much. The former addict knows he is forgiven much. He is now one who loves much.