Life is a delicate combination of joy and devastation; of beauty and darkness. As a seemingly unwritten rule of life, no matter how much happiness or splendor you try to cultivate, storms will come, and pain will be felt.
Without question, it can seem near impossible to come to terms with brokenness or to stop the downward spiral. When overwhelming emotions and negative, destructive thoughts begin to rule the day, every day, it can feel like an all-out sprint to find something – anything – that will help release the pain and jumpstart some kind of healing.
Perhaps you can relate to this. Perhaps you turned to alcohol or drugs to get away from it all, if only for a little while. Addiction can set in quick, however, as you may have already discovered.
What you need to know is this: You are not broken. You possess immense worth. You can rid your life of addiction, no matter the substance or how severe. You can attain sobriety and live the life you were made to lead if you lean into your Eastern Orthodox faith and place your life in God’s hands.
Learn how Eastern Orthodox faith can help addiction and the life-changing, Christian-based addiction treatment that is available if you are ready to get clean for good.
How Faith Helps Addiction
Whether you have an active relationship with God or not, returning to your roots and walking in God’s grace can be your sanctuary through any storm.
Your addiction has made you feel hopeless, unhealthy, weak and diminished. But this is not who you are; Your addiction does not define you.
God longs to be a light in your life. He longs to provide you with strength to overcome your addiction and return to the productive, vibrant individual He made you to be.
Through your Eastern Orthodox faith, you will realize that God does not promise that you will never fall or experience pain. He says that everyone will face trials, for it’s how we grow. But through every tribulation and dark hour, He promises to guide your steps and be your strength.
All you have to do is place your faith in Him.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – God tells you that his strength is all you need, because His power is greatest when you are weak. When you are facing an addiction that makes you feel feeble and defeated, remember that God is your strength and there to carry you through those moments.
Finding hope in your faith is the first step toward sustained sobriety.
How Eastern Orthodox Faith Can Help Addiction
Through your Eastern Orthodox faith, addiction can end. Discover three ways you can lead God to your addiction and ask that He help you out of the perpetual cycle.
Place Your Entire Being into Your Faith and Belief in God
With any addiction, control is key. When you feel in control – when you have enough of your substance, when you can get high exactly when you need to, when you can dictate your emotions via your substance of choice, you feel powerful; you feel ‘normal.’
Of course, this is all backwards, as nothing about addiction is powerful and normal. You are controlled by your substance and, without it, your life can begin to plummet.
When it’s time to commit to getting clean, you must first and foremost relinquish control of your life to a power greater than yourself.
When you wholeheartedly place all your energy into your faith in a higher power, you can fully embrace the fact that God is greater than your addiction and in control of the situations that seem unbearable.
When you place your entire being into your faith and belief in God, you will find refuge in His omnipresent existence and begin to feel the ability to withdrawal from the substance that has held an asphyxiating hold on your life for so long.
Always remember: Surrendering and giving God control of your life does not mean you’re weak or you have failed. It means you are ready to become the person you were born to be.
Pray and Communicate with God
Don’t be afraid or feel uncomfortable fully-embracing your Eastern Orthodox beliefs. Prayer is arguably the most important and liberating aspect of your faith.
Your Christian-based journey to sobriety must be rooted in open and honest dialogue with Him. Let Him into your life by telling Him about you and expressing what weighs heavy on your heart.
Ask for forgiveness so you can begin to forgive yourself. He will hear you and forgive you. If you feel compelled, express gratitude for the blessings in your life. Whatever comes to your heart, talk with Him. He can guide you through tough moments and lead you to clarity.
Your relationship with God is not only vital to your faith, but it is also essential to achieving and sustaining sobriety.
Listen to God and Acknowledge His Teachings
God is always communicating with you. Actively listening to God will help you grow closer to Him, feel his endless love, and understand where you need to take your life.
Throughout recovery and sobriety, it’s important to slow down a few times a day to really hone in on what God is trying to tell you. He will lead you to your purpose and help you navigate any unforgiving sea you are forced to cross.
Through His counsel, you will learn to replace addictive impulses with faith and devotion. If you allow God’s calming, ever-present voice into your life, your addictive impulses can cease and the winds of change will enter your life.
By listening to God, you will understand that He uses the tough times to shape our direction. Indeed, He uses the dark days to bring us back to Him.
Faith and Relapse Prevention
Even after overcoming your addiction, there will still be temptation and a relapse is always possible. Avoiding a relapse will require steadfast conviction and a commitment to a life-long recovery process.
If you stay committed to your faith and relationship with God, He will be able to provide you
with the strength and love to triumph over addiction and evade relapse.
When you feel vulnerable or tempted, call out to God for help. Above all, know that through Christ, all things are possible.
Christian-Based Addiction Treatment at Covenant Hills
If you are living with an alcohol or drug addiction, you can take back control of your life and find a healthy, sustainable balance.
At Covenant Hills, a large component of our addiction treatment programs is based in cognitive
behavioral therapy and Christian-based healing. We will guide you through the therapy process, help you awaken your soul and support you as your mind and body heal. Our goal is to help you return to the person you were made to be.
You are not defined by your addiction, and you can transform the trajectory of your life.
Learn about our Christian-based addiction treatment programs, or contact us for a free and confidential assessment.
