DECEMBER 1, 2014
Struggling
With Addiction
Read: Hebrews 4:14-16
God is faithful. —1 Corinthians 10:13
Eric was struggling with an addiction, and he
knew it. His friends and family members encouraged him to stop. He agreed that
it would be best for his health and relationships, but he felt helpless. When
others told him how they had quit their bad habits, he replied, “I’m happy for
you, but I can’t seem to stop! I wish I had never been tempted in the first
place. I want God to take the desire away right now.”
Immediate deliverance may happen for some, but
most face a daily battle. While we don’t always understand why the temptation
doesn’t go away, we can turn to God on whatever path we find ourselves. And
perhaps that is the most important part of our struggle. We learn to exchange
our futile efforts to change for complete dependence on God.
Jesus was tempted also, just as we are, so He
understands what we’re feeling (Mark 1:13). He sympathizes with our struggles
(Heb. 4:15), and we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (v.16). He also uses others,
including trained professionals, to lean on along the way.
Whatever battles we may be facing today, we
know this—God loves us much more than we can imagine, and He is faithful to
come to our assistance.
For Further Thought
Read Matthew 4:1-11 about how Jesus handled
temptations. Also read 1 Corinthians 10:11-13
to learn how He can help us when we are
tempted.
We are not tempted because we are evil; we are tempted because
we are human.
Insight
The high priest in ancient Israel was the representative of the
people before God. The writer of Hebrews draws a distinction between the high
priests of Israel and Jesus, our Great High Priest, who came and experienced
life on the earth. We can approach Him with confidence, knowing that He truly
understands what we face, for He faced it as well.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012