In my day to day work I am a Professional Counselor who works with men, women, and teenagers. In a given week I will work with twenty-five to thirty hurting folks. From time to time someone who is struggling with a compulsive/addictive behavior will ask about giving their life over to the care of God.
Psalm 61:1-8 talks about this very thing. I would encourage you to give it a read.
The idea or thought of turning over our will can and our thoughts to God can be very attractive. When we give in to our compulsions and dependencies, we surrender ourselves to another power. When that happens we are giving up our own personal power and surrendering it to whatever compulsive behavior we fall into. When you feel overwhelmed and give into some addictive or compulsive behavior you actually feel better and may even feel relieved, for a short while. That is what happens when your focus is the compulsive or addictive behaviors that you may be using to help you cope with life.
Now, here is some good news which comes from this passage.
We can take steps to change our focus and turn our life over to God instead of reverting to the hiding places of the past. The apostle Paul said, "Don't be drunk with wine, because it will run your life. Instead let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. (Ephesians 5:18).
When we are overwhelmed and in need of some type of escape, we have a new place to turn. In this piece of Scripture Kind David declared, "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you (Psalm 9:9-10).
David also wrote, "From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me." (Psalm 61:2-3).
I hope these words give you some encouragement.
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2 comments:
For many people (Ok... for me!) "the idea or thought of turning over our will and our thoughts to God can be very attractive" has not always been the case. I struggled with giving a certain area of my will to God for years, and although I don't know what it feels like to be obsessive-compulsive, I can't imagine it being easy or attractive to anyone who struggles in that area either.
That being said, there is a place of victory: It comes when a person realizes that God really, truly has the best in mind for us, and that He can do a better job taking care of us than we can do ourselves.
Sometimes, it is small things at a time... And then you realize that God is trustworthy and become willing to hand over "the big stuff".
There is no better place to be than in the safe, loving arms of a God who will never drop you. He is ALWAYS good and is fully trustworthy. It is only when a person comes to that realization that one can run to Him and "give Him your will".
And I agree that Psalms is an amazing book. It is open and honest about struggles, problems and sin yet provides hope and the truth... which is that God will always be there for us.
Great comment stephanie. I appreciate your struggle and your faith. He is a safe, loving place to be.
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