Watching Them Hurt

Isn't it hard to stand by and watch one of your friends (or maybe family) fall off of the deep end? In this case, I am talking about addiction (to pain medicine), but you could put any situation in here, whether it is domestic violence, depression, drugs, etc.

Drug addiction is a hard battle to win, but no one can do it for you. In my line of ministry, I see people fail every day because they are "doing it for my ______". You have to do it for you.

Something all addicts have in common is they hit rock bottom. Looking back, and talking from experience, I will tell you the feeling I felt was utter despair. You start believing your own lies, and everyone else becomes a liar. You start to dip into depression, and maybe even violence. (Thank God I missed that one) But it always happens, and this is a critical time in their addiction cycle, because one of three things ends up happening: 1. Death (overdose, suicide, etc) 2. Lose your mind, causing harm to others, or 3. You start the process of becoming clean. This is absolute rock bottom, and some people have to hit it several times in their "cycle" before becoming victorious. Some never make it. The text's and "experts" probably will not agree with the above statement, but I am speaking of reality, not their "utopia" world of "hello, my name is ______ and I am an addict." That could be why our program has a 97% success rate, and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) has a 20% success rate.

What brings this up is not someone who is going through our program, it is a very good friend who is probably not a friend any more, due to pain pills. He was in the "panic" mode of desperation because he was out, and he accused me and his dad of having some and not wanting to share. We were liars (to him), no matter what. He is at the stage I spoke of above, and refuses any help. Believe you me, I have offered, but he "doesn't have a problem." And no one in his family thinks he has a problem, except his dad, and defend him and help him justify his behavior.

It is sad, but it is not hopeless. We as friends, and especially as Christians, should not think in terms of defeat. Keep offering encouragement, and pray, pray, pray. Remember the woman who Jesus healed? She prayed for 16 years, and then Jesus told her, "Woman, thou art loosed." It is the same with addiction; keep praying, and keep encouraging. When they get clean, they will seek you out and apologize for their wrong doings toward you. That is part of the process of defeating Satan's weapon of choice, addiction.

But it still hurts! It hurts for your best friend to call you a liar! Them's fighting words for most men...its up there with calling them an sob, but today I walked away. My pride has hurt, but I am praying that God will deliver him from his affliction and take his excuses.

I know this post seems jumbled, but I just wanted to share this with you. Don't give up, and remember pride is a root for a lot of hurt and evil in this world. It is what caused Satan to be thrown from heaven, so if yours is challenged, remember the words of Jesus, "I have overcome the world", so He can definitly help you overcome pride.