Sucker Punch – Conquering Addiction - Tuesday
Today’s Verse
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (NIV)
Going to the movies was one of my favorite pastimes growing up. Nearly every weekend my friends and I would go to the movies. We would sneak our own candy into the theater and arrive in plenty of time to get the center seats and to make sure we caught all the previews for the new releases. Nowadays, this aging millennial can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been to the movies since I entered my thirties.
If I do sit down to watch a movie these days, I much prefer to watch one I’ve already seen and already know I’ll enjoy, rather than watch a new movie. This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of my favorite movies, The Shawshank Redemption. This movie tells the story of a banker named Andy Dufresne who is sentenced to life for murder, despite his claims of innocence. While incarcerated, he befriends a fellow prisoner, named Ellis "Red" Redding. There’s a poignant scene in the movie where Red explains what happens when someone has been locked in prison for many decades, he illustrates what it means to be “institutionalized”. Red says, “These walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them.”
For those who’ve struggled with addiction for a long time, it is easy to become dependent. Dependence occurs when the body physically relies on a drug. Addiction involves changes in behavior. A person with an addiction has difficulty not using substances even if it is harming them. Dependence is physical; addiction is neurological. Red’s illustration of institutionalization in prison echos the dependence that comes from addiction, “Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them.”
Christ offers something so much better. A freedom that is found only in Him. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” For many addicts, freedom in Christ is about more than just breaking free from addiction; it’s about experiencing a deep spiritual transformation. Christ replaces shame with grace, brokenness with healing, and addiction with a newfound identity and purpose. It’s a journey of daily surrender, reliance on God's strength, and being part of a supportive Christian community. Those who have lived through the dark enslavement of addiction find hope, healing, and true liberation in their relationship with Christ.
REFLECTION
In Galatians 5:13 Paul writes, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (NIV). With the freedom that has been given you through Christ, are you using it to serve others humbly in love? Or, are you continuing to indulge your desires?