The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Saturday
May 31, 2008
Liquor is for the dying, and wine for those in deep depression. Let them
drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more.
Speak up
for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are
perishing. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get
justice.
Proverbs 31:6-9
Most of us know at least one person that is caught in the woe of alcoholism or drug addiction. We get frustrated because they just don't "get over it"! Sure, we want them to trust Jesus and get beyond their addiction. We love them. Maybe we need to lighten up and just love them. I know, I know that is very hard because most people who use also abuse. The most important thing we can do for them is pray.
Just about all of the people I know who have hard core addictions have been severely wounded by some event in life. Counselors usually associate their addiction with what is called "post traumatic stress disorder. (PTSD)" This is a real problem and it is extremely difficult to overcome. Instead of going against them maybe we just need to love 'em through!
Let me tell you, we have some of these folks in our family and in close relationships and it is extremely difficult to love these people when they are taking from you and neglecting the people they love. Maybe the best form of love is to step back and let their addiction run its course. I think "AA" calls this allowing them to "bottom out." This is one of the most difficult things to watch an addict face, but I've seen very few that bottomed out that didn't turn around.
As I type this, my stepdaughter is in jail (2001). Oh, she's not in there as a direct result of her addiction, but it is associated with it. She has written a bunch of bad checks and it finally caught up with her. The hardest thing for us to do at this point is deny the collect calls that we get from her daily. Some people may think that we are being hard hearted, but that it not true. We are simply using tough love. Justice doesn't necessarily let a person escape their consequences. True justice means we will pay the price for our sin by suffering the natural consequences.
What are your friends and loved ones facing? Will bailing them out help or hinder their spiritual growth? Who are we to decide?
Father, we trust You with the hard issues in this life. We believe that You have a plan and that when we go against that plan we end up a step outside of mercy into justice. We know that You are the God of mercy, but we also know that You are just. We pray that justice will lead to the recognition that mercy is needed and then grace will prevail! Have Your way. We are trusting You with the outcome!
Addendum ¾ Cindy is doing fine now and has her children. Currently, she is in the hospital, however, and needs prayer. Drugs did a real job on her body.
