26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26 NIV
Here is a reflection that was recently shared with us by a Christian therapist who is also a recovering addict:
I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I believe that God’s power to change the course of nature is infinite. I believe that the person who is naturally addicted to any substance can experience complete deliverance by the supernatural power of an Almighty God. I believe that God’s power is not restricted to the logic and incremental nature of man. I believe that in as much as God has created all things, He is able to not only remove addictions but reverse their effects. As much as Christ delivered people in the gospels from all sorts of mental and physical maladies, God can replicate those results today. This is the basis of my belief in God’s omnipotent quality.
All of this said, I am a recovering addict. Even as I was struggling in the midst of my addiction, I asked God for this supernatural deliverance and that did not happen. In fact, things got worse, to the point that I had to hit my bottom before I could experience freedom. It is as that point that I experienced the other quality of God and that is His grace. That was eleven years ago and since then through individual/group counseling, the power of fellowship with others and the 12 steps, I have learned to live each day in the freedom that God intended for my life.
Would it have been better to be completely delivered? Absolutely! Does God stop being God because He chose another path for me? Absolutely not!
I therefore believe that whether it is by the instantaneous demonstration of His power or the incremental process of grace, a client who is addicted to drugs or alcohol can experience freedom. I believe that this freedom can take the form of a complete “healing”, meaning the total and irreversible eradication of the compulsion. It can also take the form of a daily process of living with the predilection towards a particular compulsion, but the determination and tools to avoid destructive patterns from the past. That is why, for me, I refer to myself as a “recovering addict”. I can always choose to return to my addiction if my triggers get the better part of me, because I have not been completely “healed”.
God has the power to instantaneously heal anyone who struggles with addiction. This is because He is sovereign, and He accomplishes His will for His purpose. That said, I have learned some very valuable things about the “cunning and baffling” nature of addiction. I have learned that there are many reasons why it occurs and there isn’t one school of thought that explains prevalence. It is definitely not because of moral failings or weakness. Even though the cause may be important, it is the overcoming that matters to the client. As a therapist, it is therefore my job to understand where in the addiction cycle the client finds himself and how motivated he is to change. I am encouraged by the idea of meeting him where he is and providing the knowledge and empowerment that he needs to navigate through the various stages of change. If he chooses to connect with God during this process, then in hindsight he can recognize that God helped him overcome something that he was unable to overcome by himself…and that in itself is a miracle.
If you are struggling with an addiction, there is help. Reach out to us at
