One of the most pressing challenges of a believer is Addictions. Addictions to sinful acts and immoral habits can put huge burdens on our Christian Faith. These sinful addictions can be depressing and may lead a Christian to go astray thereby quitting the faith in the Lord. This is due to the fact that they begin to believe it is impossible to desist from such habits and the feeling that they are not good candidate to have a relationship with God.

I have seen people end their lives because of their addictions, I have seen young people struggle with depression, I have seen people fall and quit their faith in Christ because they feel it’s no more possible to please God with the kind of lifestyle they are addicted to. But one thing every christian must understand is that God never rejects, no matter how dreadful your sins are or how addicted you are to certain lifestyles that are ungodly. 

Did you know God starts you on a fresh page everyday?

Lamentation 3:22-23, says; The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

No matter your struggle with sin and the addictions you battle with, you must keep your hope in God, your faith in Jesus Christ must be permanent knowing any sin you fall short to is temporal and you will definitely outgrow it somehow.

Christians must understand that sin is inevitable and no matter how mindful we choose to live purely, we will definitely fall short one way or the other because of our human nature. We must also understand though we sin, we are not under the law of sin, this means sin must not control our bodies even when we fall, we therefore must possess the ability to overcome it. 

A believer must understand anytime we fall short or sin, we have not failed because we are no more under the Law but Grace. Think of it this way; sin is that poison that can never kill us because we are immune to it, this also doesn’t mean that we should be happy eating of it. The fact that it’s not meant to be edible and that we will grow weaker if we don’t  eat proper food for growth than that all the time doesn’t justify otherwise .

Paul stated in the book of Romans 6:12-14: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Are you struggling with any addiction today as a Christian? Do not think God has forsaken you because of your struggle with this addiction. In fact,  Jesus Christ is more than happy to assist people like us who need Him every hour because we fall every hour or the seconds that passes by. Jesus is asking us to cast all our burdens and addiction on Him today. We must understand that though our hearts and mind may condemn us,  Jesus Christ is far greater than our hearts and He will never forsake us if we turn to Him for help.

1 John 3:19-20 says ; By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. God knows we want to quit, He knows we are not comfortable with our addictions and the main reason why we are struggling. God understands us more than we understand ourselves, Psalms 103:14 also says; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

Now that we know God hasn’t forsaken us because of our addiction, let us follow these steps as you try to overcome the flesh;

Make a decision to quit.

Your recovery starts with you choosing the future you want for yourself. You have the power to change your life, so make a commitment to recover . Focus on creating a happy future because you deserve it.

• “I’m going to quit so I can focus on my christian goals.”
• “I’m going to stop my addiction so I can have a better relationship with my family.”
• “I’m going to quit my addiction so I can spend my money on things that make me happy and God happy.

Open up to someone you can confide in.

Choose a quit date.

You don’t have to quit cold turkey, but you’ll be more successful if you choose a date that’s within the next 3 weeks. That way, you’ll have time to prepare but won’t lose your resolve. Mark the date on your calendar so it feels real to you.

• You might pick a date that’s meaningful to you for added motivation. For instance, you could pick someone’s birthday, a special anniversary, or a holiday.
• Tell that person be it your friend, family member or your significant other  that you can confide in  about your quit date so they can support your goal.
• Take this time to arrange any medical or physical support you may need. Some addictions can be life-threatening if they’re stopped incorrectly.

Build a support network for yourself.

Overcoming your addiction will be easier if you have lots of support. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones who will be there for you. Additionally, join a support group to help you get through the tough times and celebrate your successes. To give yourself the best chances, start seeing a therapist or counselor who can help you create a treatment plan and work through the issues that led to your addiction.

• Choose a support group that shares your core beliefs if that matters to you. Some programs are based around other faith, so you might prefer a group that speaks to your beliefs.
• If you’re addicted to a substance, ask people not to use it in your presence. People who have long-term success with overcoming addictions often have a support group of family and friends who encourage them on a daily basis.

Write down other reasons you want to change aside pleasing God. Think about how much better your life will be once you overcome your addiction.

• Take a paper and write all the disadvantages of your addiction. Everyday take that paper and revise at least 5-10 times what you have written. When you feel that your addiction has more disadvantages than advantages, you will easily quit that addiction. If you don’t want anyone to read what you have written, you can use mnemonics . When you are doing addiction, recall all disadvantages of your addiction.
• You can also make a list of positive changes you want in your life to help motivate you to stick to your goal of quitting. You might list:
• More time with friends and family.
• A new hobby.
• Your dream job.
• Better health.
• More money.
• Feeling proud and confident.
• A sense of freedom.

Remove temptations from your environment. 

Your environment has a big impact on you, and it can make it easier or harder to overcome your addiction. Go through your living space and remove anything that could trigger you. Get rid of all the objects that go along with the habit, as well as other items that remind you of your addiction.

• If you’re addicted to alcohol, you might throw out or give away any drink you still have, donate your wine glasses, and get rid of any items that contain messages about alcohol.
• If you’re overcoming a food addiction, you could throw out junk food.
• If you’re addicted to porn, you could put a filter on your electronic devices and throw out any magazines you own.
• You might try rearranging your environment or adding healthy distractions to help you stick to your goal.

Fill your time with godly and healthy activities. 

Positive distractions that make you happy will help you change. Chances are, your addiction touches most areas of your life, which is why quitting can be challenging. Focus on doing things that make you happy so it’s easier to stick to your goal. You could:

• Pray
• Read your bible
• Start a new hobby.
• Hang out with your friends.
• Join a christian club or community
• Play a recreational sport.

Stay away from people and places that trigger you. 

You might need to create a completely new routine to help support your new lifestyle. You deserve to live your best life, free of any addictions. It’s okay to cut ties with people who are holding you back and to seek out new places and experiences that are good for you. Focus on what’s best for you right now.

• You might not be able to go to your normal haunts anymore. While you might feel a sense of loss, try to focus on what you’re gaining. You might talk to your therapist about how you’re feeling if this happens.

Spend more time with people who support you.

Although quitting isn’t easy, you can get help along the way. Having people by your side can make things easier and will help you stay motivated to reach your goals. Ask your friends and family to be there for you right now. Tell them how important it is to you to stop your addiction and create this awesome new life for yourself.

• “I really appreciate having you as a friend. I’m doing everything I can to change my life right now, and I was hoping I could count on you for encouragement.”
• “Overcoming this addiction is so important to me, but it’s also challenging. Can I call or text you when I’m really struggling?”

Learn coping strategies to deal with cravings.

 It’s totally normal to experience cravings, and they can pop up out of nowhere. Help yourself stay on track with your recovery by learning ways to cope before your cravings hit. You might try:

• Exercise: Exercise releases endorphins, so it can help you feel pleasure without your addiction.
• Distraction: Distract yourself with an immersive activity, like painting or going to a movie theater.
• Venting: Tell a trusted confidant about how you’re feeling and how bad your craving is.
• Urge surfing: Instead of fighting your craving, sit with it until it fades. Focus on how the craving feels in your body, then focus on your breath. Notice the sensations in your body again, and ride out the urge as it crests and falls like a wave. This can help you find relief from cravings without giving into them.

Celebrate every little accomplishment. 

Overcoming an addiction is a big deal, and you should feel proud of every step you take, no matter how small. Do something nice for yourself when you meet a goal, and celebrate each milestone in your journey. Kicking an addiction is incredibly tough work, and you deserve to be rewarded.

• Take it one day at a time. You might even treat every day as a milestone, especially if you’re staying sober from drugs or alcohol.
• You could also celebrate every week as a milestone.

Ask God for Forgiveness and Forgive yourself if you relapse. 

Don’t let a relapse be the end of your journey because everyone has slip ups. If you have a relapse, go back over what happened and determine what you can do to stop it from happening again. Then, get back on your feet and start again. You can do this!

• Relapses are steps forward in the process, and you shouldn’t consider them as failures. It takes time for new habits to fully kick in. Just keep going.
• Don’t let guilt and shame take over if you slip up. You’re trying your best, and all you can do is keep at it.

Keep working toward your goal to be addiction free.

The physical and mental pain of addiction withdrawal is real, and you’ll likely start telling yourself it’s okay to take up the habit again. Don’t listen to the voice telling you to start back up and don’t give up on yourself when it feels hard. All the work you’re putting into this will be worth it. Remember, you’re building your best life right now.

• Go back to your list of reasons for quitting to remember why you’re doing this. Think about why quitting is more important than staying addicted.
• Visit support groups and your therapist each time you feel in danger of relapsing.