What About People Experiencing Addiction?

2/2023      Richard

 If there’s anything I like about all the crazy rhetoric I hear from the left, it’s the emphasis on putting one’s personhood before any other identifying characteristics. Phrases like “person experiencing homelessness” or “people of color” or “children with autism” might be more cumbersome to say, but it is worth it to respect others as human beings first with value and dignity as fellow image-bearers of God. This can be carried to an extreme that views people only as victims rather than being responsible for their actions and choices in life, but surely we can find a way to be reasonable about it.

That said, my Gospel outreach on the streets and in the marketplace often has me talking with people struggling with or simply defeated by homelessness and addictions of various kinds, and I am often at a loss in knowing what to tell them.

One could say “Just tell them about Jesus”, but a big reason for my struggle is that they’ve usually already heard the Gospel. I find that their addiction has put them out on the streets, hustling daily to find some cash to feed their habit, and this has given them the street smarts and skills to size people up and tell them exactly what they want to hear in order to squeeze out a few dollars. When approached by Christians they often parrot evangelistic talking points better than most churched people I meet.

But this doesn’t mean some aren’t sincere. Many true believers find themselves defeated by addiction, and are tempted daily by the temptation to just give up. Eventually, they lose sight of the cross, and start to believe they’ve lost their salvation or were never Christians to begin with due to their daily experience of sin and defeat.

During a short conversation, I think I saw all of the above in a man named Richard. He told me right up front about his problems, (before I began to record the conversation) and went on to tell me what he knew I wanted to hear. But he also seemed to have a sincere faith in Jesus as his Savior despite the self doubt that his ongoing experience of defeat brings.

And what Christian hasn’t struggled with this sort of self-doubt during different seasons of life, as we undergo the process of discipleship and sanctification and the struggle against overcoming sinful habits, and obsessive-compulsive and addictive behaviors? I’ve come to realize that the important thing is that we do indeed struggle and not just give up.

I’m so glad for the honesty Paul wrote with when he shared his struggle: “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:19-20)

If we were saved by our good works, this constant defeat would condemn us. Instead, Paul goes on to write of the victory we have in Christ; how there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. But what about those who have experienced so much defeat that they wonder if they are truly “in Christ Jesus”? After all, our changed lives and good works can’t save us, but they sure can be a good sign and positive confirmation that we have indeed been saved.

And that’s where my conversation with Richard comes in. If he’s a true believer, and I think he may very well be, then he’s lost his way and needs fellow believers to come along side him, to encourage him and redirect his path.

We all need constant reminders of basic gospel truths, because we so easily take our eyes off of Jesus. During the course of our conversation, Richard easily transitioned from his initial talk of good deeds and universal religion to talking about faith in Christ alone.

It was easy to remind him, but he will forget again and needs constant reminders, just as we all do. So I not only reminded Richard about Jesus and gospel truths, but also of the importance of regular church involvement and fellowship in a church family.

Please pray for Richard – he won’t defeat this addiction alone. He’s in a housing situation surrounded by negative influences, and the Bible tells us “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” It’s having a bad effect on Richard and he needs a change of residence as well as regular church fellowship.

And pray for the church, that we can see and respect all persons, including the poor, the marginalized, and the down and out, as people and fellow image-bearers before anything else.

Thank you Richard, for allowing me to record our conversation! I'm praying for you and you can be reminded of some of the things I told you at https://youtu.be/lmlwT5pROTc on my YouTube channel.