Are you addicted?

This post has been called for by some of my readers and has been
something I’ve thought about since I took that test on drugs and
alcohol abuse.
Where do I start? Some of my thoughts have been about what is addiction
and why is it bad? If drugs didn’t kill your body or the acquisition of
them didn’t promote violence, would they be illegal?
Most drugs cause physical dependence that make it difficult, harmful
and sometimes fatal when discontinued. Hallucinatory drugs on
the other hand are mostly psychological. All are a type of escape from
life; a way to lose consciousness and ease your burdens. Sometimes the
drugs are sought by those with problems for relief, other times they
are started because of peer influence or curiosity.
With those thoughts on one track, I’d like you to take up a parallel
train of thought. Can people get spiritually addicted? Can something
rule in their life so strongly that it takes over the place that God
should hold in their heart? Is there something that they fall back on
instead of God when life gets too hard to handle.What is the opium of
religion that numbs the conscience and muffles the sounds of God’s
voice. An addiction can be a harmless or even beneficial item, liking
or activity. Sometimes it can be a slow downward association with the
world that lulls it’s addict into a stupor. The point is, has it taken
over to be the most important, what is your reaction to the thought of
giving it up? Could you do without it for a while? When trouble comes,
or a bad mood starts to take over, you’re feeling lousy, bored or even
you had a good day; what do you turn to? If you get strung out on music
or “rave” on exercise, if you spend all afternoon in an “x-box den” or
you shoot up with a dose of the internet then maybe you should consider
a “rehab” program. Those things may be enjoyed in moderation but can be
dangerous and killing to the soul in excess. God wants to talk with
you, but if you shut him out with mind occupying alternatives then you
will miss the reality of living a life with Him.
What are you addicted to?