Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Addictive behavior

Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more (Ephesians 4:19).

Where is the line between just enough and just too much?  When does a love for cats turn into a home overrun with felines?  When does enjoyment of liquor turn into alcoholism?  When does playful flirting become a shameful affair? Where is the line between just enough and just too much?

We approach life using simple logic—if something makes me happy, more of it will make me even happier.  If one piece of chocolate makes me feel good, three pieces will triple my pleasure.  If a girl has one guy telling her how great she is, having two guys on a string ought to make her feel doubly special.  If a fella gets respect for driving a nice car, surely he’ll get even more respect for driving something that is really expensive.

The trouble is that human logic does not hold up.  Over-stimulation only yields diminishing returns.  Excess becomes commonplace; we find ourselves needing even more to get the same kind of emotional rush we used to experience. Stronger drinks.  More frequent cigarette breaks. Larger bets at the casino.   Riskier sexual behavior.  What used to satisfy no longer does.  This is the pattern of addiction to pleasure.

Where is the line between just enough and just too much? The line is where casual fun turns into obsessive behavior.  The line is where we stop thanking God for His gifts and start demanding that He bury us in excess.  The line is where pleasure becomes the reason that we live instead of being the result of a life well lived.  The line is crossed when giving pleasure to others lies forgotten in the pursuit of making ourselves feel good.

The Lord our God is generous, but He gets angry when we focus on His gifts instead of our relationship with Him.  God is love, and He hates to see us use each other for pleasure instead of treating one another with love and respect.  If it sounds as if I’m describing your life, don’t despair—Jesus is ready and willing to forgive you.  If you listen to His words, the Son of God will help you find the kind of pleasure that is not selfish or addictive, the pleasure of healthy relationships and a life well lived.

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