Monthly Archives: January 2016

Acceptance for Addicts at Church

church addicts welcomeSadly, addicts are met with rejection in many places they go. Our culture, despite its growing awareness of what addiction is, can still be harshly judgmental of addicts. People stigmatize addiction and villainize it, ostracizing addicts and isolating them. Addicts need acceptance, like any human does, which is why every addict should find themselves a church family. A Christian church community will not judge an addict for their choices, but will instead offer them forgiveness, acceptance and love.

One inaccurate stereotype of church members is that they are a closed off community. This is far from the truth. One would have to visit a secluded town or search hard to find a closed off church community. The modern church community is open and available to everyone who walks through its doors. Church members come from a very mixed background, representing a great many groups and subcultures, and the average church group in modern times loves diversity. They are not going to pass judgment on someone struggling with addiction, as they have already formed relationships with struggling addicts repeatedly in the past.

Addicts who are looking for a place to belong, either because they need to separate from their traditional support system for safety’s sake or because they could simply use additional support, should find a church they like and plug in to the community. A church environment is one of the safest and most secure places to build a support system in the world. Upon entering a church community, people find forgiveness for their short comings, acceptance for who they are and love from their peers. Everyone knows that entering a new community of people is intimidating. But when the community of people takes love and acceptance very seriously, one should not be intimidated to approach them. Christian church communities are among some of the most accepting there are. The people you will meet at a Christian church come from various backgrounds and different walks of life. They are there together because they share the same loving belief system.

Defeating Addiction with Prayer

pray for addictionGod promises that anyone who comes to him with even a grain of faith can and will experience his presence and feel his peace. If you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction, you should know that it is not hard to find a prayer group or prayer partners. Almost any church you walk into will offer church members who are happy to pray over any life circumstance you are going through.

Many rehabilitation centers, even secular ones, acknowledge the benefits of addicts surrendering to a higher power for strength. There is a reason that Christians spend a considerable amount of time in prayer. Prayer has been found to have a number of spiritual and psychological benefits. One of the twelve steps in the infamous ’12 Step Program’ is admitting that you cannot control your addiction by your own will power alone, but only through the strength of your higher power, known to many as God. It is meant to make a person feel vulnerable, because it is only through vulnerability that a person can connect with their inner strength. Prayer and meditation is a highly encouraged practice for addicts and substance abusers as it reminds them to stay humble, guarded and strong.

Prayer for another person is a genuine sign of love and consideration. The power of prayer is equally as strong when it comes from others. In the Christian church, praying for someone is a sign of selfless love. It means you are letting another person into your heart and caring for their well-being. It also means you are caring enough to take the matter up with God, who has promised to be present in spirit when he is called upon by His believers. Prayer is one of the most integral practices of the Christian faith. It is much more than simply speaking sentimental words out loud. It is quite literally communicating with God. God can do amazing things with prayer, including creative miracles. One of the best things a person can do for an addict is pray for them.