There are many tricks and techniques that can be helpful in addiction recovery, but true healing requires four essential things:
1. SURRENDER – A successful quest for freedom cannot begin until we are able to admit that we have a problem that is bigger than us. It is bigger than our best intentions . . . bigger than our promises . . . bigger than all our will-power, efforts, and resolve combined. We must acknowledge that we cannot beat this thing alone. We have to climb over our pride, our masks, and our shame, give up our need to do it our way, and reach out for the help of God and others.
2. RESOLVING PAST ISSUES – We don’t become addicted because we just love sex, gambling, drugs, alcohol or any other compulsive behavior. What we really love is how our “drug of choice” makes us feel. It takes away the boredom, the memories and the fears that haunt us. It doesn’t solve anything, or change anything, but at least for a few minutes, it anesthetizes the underlying pain in our life and we can’t feel it any more. We don’t feel rejected. We don’t feel “not good enough.” We don’t feel stupid, or victimized. In fact we don’t feel anything but good. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last. It never can. The only way we can be finally be rid of the ugliness for good is to dig deep into our past and find out what we’re trying to avoid. When that’s resolved, the battle is nearly over.
3. ACCOUNTABILITY & SUPPORT – All that digging is hard work and brings the very pain we’ve been trying to avoid to the surface. Without the help and support of others, we can easily become overwhelmed. We need people to walk alongside us to encourage us when it gets difficult and nudge us when we become too weary or reluctant to continue. No matter how strong we are, we can’t do it all by ourselves.
4. GOD’S GRACE & HEALING – Our friends and supporters can take us a very long way, but it is my personal belief and experience that only our loving creator can fully restore our hearts and mind. It is only in relationship with Him that we can move beyond being a lifelong “recovering addict”, to being completely healed by His grace and love.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)
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