God Will Give Us Beauty for Ashes - Isaiah 61:3

I bet you think that only Alcoholics, Drug users, sex offenders and gamblers become addicts.

Addiction is a condition in which a person engages in a substance or in a behavior for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behavior despite detrimental consequences (Psychology Today). It’s an involvement in a substance or activity despite the consequences.

Are you addicted? Are you engaged in any of the following despite their negative effects?

• Being right all the time

• Having the last word

• Worrying

• Having your own way

• Emotion – addicted to “how I feel”

• Always seeking some attention - low self esteem

• Negativism – complaining all the time

These addictive behaviors like other addictions can destroy.

Addiction:

• Entraps us as we repeat the cycle – over and over again.

• Harms the person and those around us.

• Destroy relationships and keep us and others from wholesome family encounters.

• Abuses others emotionally, mentally, financially and can lead to physical fights.

• Drives people away.

• Destroys us – because of self-consumption, emotional turmoil and puts us on an emotional roller coaster.

We know we are addicted if:

• We continually make excuses for our behavior.

• We blame others and never take responsibility for our actions.

• We are unwilling to face the fact that we have a problem.

• We fail to keep promises or follow through with commitments.

GOOD NEWS: there is help –Psalms 46:1 – God is our Refuge and Strength. Therefore immerse yourself in the Word... He alone can change our attitude and control the tongue. The Epistle of James gives us the answer in 3:8.