Weeping With Addicts

Last updated on: October 26, 2015 at 9:35 pm by Abra Carnahan

Weeping With Addicts 2015-10-26T21:35:36-07:00 Abra Carnahan

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

On Saturday night, we returned home from a road trip at 1 AM. We looked everywhere but couldn’t find my medication lock box. Since it was so late, and we’d be getting up in a couple hours for church anyway, I decided just to go to bed. On Sunday morning, I woke up already in full withdrawal from one particularly potent prescription (Venlafaxine). We found my lockbox and I took my prescription, but it took the whole day of chills, trembling, nausea, and dizziness (etc) to recover.

Repeatedly in the Gospels, we see several stories of people asking for signs so they can believe in Jesus. They are unwilling to believe in something they cannot see, touch or experience. Jesus calls those people lacking in faith.

I know what I experienced was a minor withdrawal compared to what others go through, but I still have a new sense of compassion for addicts. It is scary to feel out of control and in so much pain. But this type of compassion should have already been cultivated in my life before I ever experienced it firsthand. I know a God who has experienced this and so much more and He has commanded me to love my neighbors by offering grace and compassion in their time of need. My own lack of compassion for those hurting has little to do with whether or not I agree with how that person got into this situation and everything to do with my faith in Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:15 says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” No understanding, details or context required.

Something Christians need to understand is that, when they are counseling those who are hurting, we don’t know what it is like to be them. And that is ok. God created us all different, only Jesus knows what it is truly like to walk around in someone else’s shoes. However, just because we don’t know what it feels like to be an addict, to have been raped, to have a porn problem — that doesn’t mean we cannot love and help those people. Our job as Christians isn’t to fix people, it is to point them back to the only One who can fix them. And when we do this truthfully, filled with love and compassion, we aren’t being hypocrites. We are worshiping Jesus Christ by obeying His commandments.

Previous Post

October 15, 2015

Nourishing Romance In Our Marriages

Next Post

November 28, 2015 Small Frys

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1000 Gifts abortion causes Christianity Current Events death by living Depression Eating Disorders Essential Oils exhortations Facebook friendship giveaways grace gratitude Guest Posts health help homemaking hope hyperemesis gravidarum Instagram internet Journal kids life love marriage medicine men Modesty motherhood Movie Review My Life So Far Organic Pinterest Political pro-life ptsd quotes Recommended Reading Rest Scripture support Thoughts Uncategorized Vlog women Work

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who lamented Saul and Jonathan's death with a song?

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Samuel Abiathar Nathan