Many people become addicted out of curiosity. Some became addicts because of a justifiable need or as an act of deliberate rebellion. While others find themselves in their miserable state of being because of parents and family who violated them when very young.
For example, have you ever made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight or to get in better shape? And if so, how many times have you broken the resolution before the 1st quarter expired? Before January expired? Before the day was over?
Why? Is it because you are lazy? Is it because you are a liar?
None of that is true. You are not lazy or liars. Not long ago, on a Friday evening, my son Scott asked me to go running with him the following Saturday morning. He specifically asked me to wake him up because he was going to bed very tired. I agreed.
After 8 ½ hours of sleep, I walked into Scott’s room, held a conversation with him and he thanked me for waking him up. He started to move as though he was getting out of bed, so I turned around and went back to my office to study.
I had already stretched and was ready to go. Scott never made it downstairs. Somewhere along the way he fell asleep again. This wasn’t the first time I’ve had this experience with my young skull full of mush.
He desire is sincere, his motives are pure and he’s not asking me to run just to make himself feel good. So why does Scott often miss Saturday morning exercising with his dad?
Because he is tired.
People who often overeat don’t want to overeat. They know they shouldn’t. People who view pornography don’t enjoy what it does to them. Parents who yell at their children or spouse don’t feel good about themselves after a yelling fest for no apparent reason.
What do all these people have in common? They are tired. They are tired of fighting a dragon with a fork. They work so hard trying not to give into their addiction, ultimately their will power runs out of gas and they succumb to the natural man when their defenses are lowered because their energy source is sucked dry.
Addiction starts out as an avoidance of pain.
However, addiction can only be overcome when the pain of continuing the addiction is greater than the pain of change.
