Reflections on Faith and Addiction

I came across a scripture the other day in the Bible that has caused me to wonder and reflect. Let me just read it to you. It's in Matthew 21 verses 18 through 22. And I want you to think about the word "immediately" as it relates to what you might be struggling with right now.

If you've been struggling with an addiction, perhaps you've heard year after year that this is going to be a long process. Once an addict, always an addict. You'll constantly slip and fall. I'm working with a gentleman right now who, in his mid-fifties, is completely addicted to social media. He is unable to work, and his wife is out working. He's home, and she doesn't know what to do. Anyway, we're seeing if we can work through this and I can help him, but he's been struggling with this addiction for years. He goes to bed at 3 or 4 in the morning, and his wife is just pulling her hair out. He keeps saying that he needs to change, but he believes he's an addict and that this is what addicts do. 

Here's the scripture: "Now in the morning, as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it and found nothing thereon but leaves only. And said unto it, 'Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever.' And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, 'How soon is the fig tree withered away?' And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith and doubt not, he shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.'"

When I try to picture that in my mind, I see the disciples around Jesus, the master teacher, and him saying to the fig tree, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth and forever." Then they immediately saw the fig tree start to wither. Can you imagine being in that situation and witnessing that? They said to the master, "Wow, you just spoke a word and the fig tree withered away. How did that happen immediately?" That's when he taught them further. If you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be thou removed and be cast into the sea," it shall be done. 

What about the mountain of addiction? What if the message we've received for years, that it's a grueling lifelong process, is inaccurate? What if we have the capacity to change immediately? I believe the problem we struggle with is more of a hard-wired problem in the brain. Our issues come from the subconscious mind, and there seems to be a deeper force within us that drives behavior. As we understand how the brain works, particularly the survival part of the brain known as the limbic system, we can see that our behaviors and compulsions stem from it. It functions on the premise of survival by avoiding and seeking pleasure. If we experience painful things as we grow up, we tend to become stuck. The hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system, is responsible for memory. The negative experiences in our lives tend to be more salient in our minds because our brain is trying to protect us from similar situations. This hypervigilance keeps us trapped in a cycle.

Here are a couple of techniques that I encourage you to test out in your life. There are scriptures that say, "Ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto you." What if the real issue is that we are constantly asking, but we are unaware that we are asking the wrong questions? When our lives aren't going well and we're struggling with depression or addiction, are we asking questions like, "Why am I so depressed? Why am I so anxious? Why can't I overcome this addiction?" When we ask these questions, our brain searches for answers to prove them true. Instead, I encourage you to reprogram your brain by asking different questions. Ask, "How am I attracting positive and uplifting people into my life? How am I spending my time on positive and quality things? How are all the negative influences in my life that drain me of energy evaporating instantly?" When you ask these questions, your brain starts to search for answers, and that's where your energy goes.

Another powerful technique is to get into the alpha state of the brain, which is the state where the subconscious mind can be accessed and reprogrammed. You can do this by listening to alpha brainwave meditation music, which can be found on YouTube. While in this state, record yourself asking more powerful questions like, "How is it that I am full of energy? How is it that my life is getting better and better all the time? How is it that I'm feeling stronger and getting healthier?" Come up with your own questions and listen to them in the morning and before bed. Test it out and see if your life begins to change immediately.

If you're frustrated with dealing with the same issue over and over again and feeling hopeless, try these techniques. Prove it for yourself.