A Blessing
A Blessing
Lately, my youth group has been having talks about addiction to cursing/swearing/games... And I'd like to share a little about my experience. It won't take long, don't worry.
I have always noticed myself holding back from the mainstream apps or games. I do this because I know that in my weakness, I'd usually get addicted to it pretty quickly. I'd end up replacing this specific app/game with the God-spot in my heart. It'd quickly rob me of true joy - joy that only the Holy Spirit can fill in my heart. No one and nothing else can.
There was this one time, though having gone through this cycle many times, I'd failed to resist once again. I immersed myself in a phone app game. I paid so much for it, even. I'd never paid so much for a phone app - ever. And here I was, all ready to make necessary transactions to beautify my character. I missed doing my Quiet Time with God for many days, giving the excuse that I was too tired after playing my game. Sometimes I even found myself playing the game in the dark because I kept telling myself it'd be the last round, it's going to be the last round.. But it never was.
I got so empty and I felt so distant from God.
I suddenly felt God wasn't there anymore. Maybe I pushed Him away too much.
Then one day I stopped. I repented. I asked God for forgiveness and asked for His grace to help me change.
Never would I have thought that this would come so easy. SO. EASY.
Why?
Because right after I said that prayer...
I somehow stopped playing altogether..
I somehow got reluctant to play it..
I mean, I haven't deleted it off my phone..
But I don't even feel like playing the game anymore..
Sure it's an interesting game, still, in my head..
But in my heart... it's nothing but a game..
I thought I'd pushed God so far away..
But He had always been by my side..
I just didn't realise it..
But He was and He heard my prayer..
It was almost as if He was just waiting for me to come to Him..
To talk to Him with an open heart..
Because before I knew it, somehow, this addiction was just...
What was it like afterward? Freedom.
Free from the addiction, I was restored by God thereafter.
Perhaps, I could have gotten rid of the addiction myself..
Perhaps, you might think I'd just fabricated all of this..
Believe what you will, but I believe that even if I could have done it by myself, it would not have been so easy... it would not have been almost like a magician performing a trick... Yes, that is how subtle, that is how swift and GENTLE it is. That is how gentle it could be.. That is how easy it could be.. because of God's grace.
I'd like to share this because I want to say that if there is an addiction in your life that you know of and wish to cut off, God can and is more than willing to help you! All you need to do is come before Him, acknowledge the addiction you have in your life before God and ask for forgiveness.. Ask for His grace to help you change.. And you will witness God, in all His gentleness, guiding you away from the very thing that is robbing you of true joy, toward Him where you'll find restoration and His peace which transcends all understanding.
Lately, my youth group has been having talks about addiction to cursing/swearing/games... And I'd like to share a little about my experience. It won't take long, don't worry.
I have always noticed myself holding back from the mainstream apps or games. I do this because I know that in my weakness, I'd usually get addicted to it pretty quickly. I'd end up replacing this specific app/game with the God-spot in my heart. It'd quickly rob me of true joy - joy that only the Holy Spirit can fill in my heart. No one and nothing else can.
There was this one time, though having gone through this cycle many times, I'd failed to resist once again. I immersed myself in a phone app game. I paid so much for it, even. I'd never paid so much for a phone app - ever. And here I was, all ready to make necessary transactions to beautify my character. I missed doing my Quiet Time with God for many days, giving the excuse that I was too tired after playing my game. Sometimes I even found myself playing the game in the dark because I kept telling myself it'd be the last round, it's going to be the last round.. But it never was.
I got so empty and I felt so distant from God.
I suddenly felt God wasn't there anymore. Maybe I pushed Him away too much.
Then one day I stopped. I repented. I asked God for forgiveness and asked for His grace to help me change.
Never would I have thought that this would come so easy. SO. EASY.
Why?
Because right after I said that prayer...
I somehow stopped playing altogether..
I somehow got reluctant to play it..
I mean, I haven't deleted it off my phone..
But I don't even feel like playing the game anymore..
Sure it's an interesting game, still, in my head..
But in my heart... it's nothing but a game..
I thought I'd pushed God so far away..
But He had always been by my side..
I just didn't realise it..
But He was and He heard my prayer..
It was almost as if He was just waiting for me to come to Him..
To talk to Him with an open heart..
Because before I knew it, somehow, this addiction was just...
GONE.
What was it like afterward? Freedom.
Free from the addiction, I was restored by God thereafter.
Perhaps, I could have gotten rid of the addiction myself..
Perhaps, you might think I'd just fabricated all of this..
Believe what you will, but I believe that even if I could have done it by myself, it would not have been so easy... it would not have been almost like a magician performing a trick... Yes, that is how subtle, that is how swift and GENTLE it is. That is how gentle it could be.. That is how easy it could be.. because of God's grace.
I'd like to share this because I want to say that if there is an addiction in your life that you know of and wish to cut off, God can and is more than willing to help you! All you need to do is come before Him, acknowledge the addiction you have in your life before God and ask for forgiveness.. Ask for His grace to help you change.. And you will witness God, in all His gentleness, guiding you away from the very thing that is robbing you of true joy, toward Him where you'll find restoration and His peace which transcends all understanding.
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