I have been dealing quite a bit lately with my addiction, that is, nicotine addiction. Having smoked pretty much my whole life, I’ve struggled with breaking the habit. Yes, I know I need to quit, for many reasons, for my son and myself mostly.
As I attempted to quit smoking, let’s say, a 100 times (no exaggeration). I failed because I set about it selfishly; I tried to do it myself. Oh, I prayed about it many, many times and asked God for strength. That’s where my selfish ways came in; I literally took my eyes off God and tried to quit. Keyword: tried.
Then a very good friend gave me a book to read, “Samson and the Pirate Monks.” A book I highly recommend you read if you’re dealing with any kind of addiction. I started reading the book thinking it was all about men’s groups and brotherhood; boy was I ever wrong.
The writer refers to Samson and David in his struggles with addiction. I found myself asking this question: Am I portraying Samson or King David’s life when dealing with temptations and addictions.
Judges 13-16:
Samson blessed by God and sent by God. Single handedly released the Israelites from the hands of the Philistines. With a jawbone he defeated the whole Philistine army, a Godly feat to say the least. The Hebrews elevated him to man of spiritual and political power. Having searched this passage I was unable to find anyplace that Samson failed in a public presence.
His private life though was a mess, he had a serious addiction to woman and dangerous adventures…he was a sex addict. This eventually was his undoing. Enter Delilah, a woman of desirable yet questionable influence. You really got to read the complete story but the end result is Samson let his addiction destroy him with the help of Delilah. Samson, in his final hour, returned to God but he never completed his mission.
At about this time, in a quiet and unexciting way, David was born. You remember him? King David, the man after God’s own heart. David had an addiction too, he was a sex addict, he committed adultery and a few other sins I won't mention here. The difference between David and Samson, David actually defeated the Philistines not just antagonized them.
Samson beat many Philistines, David defeated one…. of course he was the biggest one! This gave the Hebrews renewed minds and God’s strength saw them through to a sort of peacetime situation. Samson didn’t commit adultery or murder… David did. Both failures in their addictions yet this is where there lives take a turn. One for better one for, well, death. Why did David recover from his sin and Samson didn’t?
Simple actually! Samson did things by himself, singular, lone wolf like. David, he had his friends. Samson liked hanging with strangers where David liked the family surroundings. When Samson fell, he was alone. When David fell, he had his friends. Specifically, Jonathon and Nathan were there for him. Samson was blinded for life long before they took his eyes whereas David lost his sight, temporarily, because he turned his eyes back to God.
What we see here is classic and pretty elementary.
Lose your sight of God and never return them to him, you die!
Keep your eyes on God; friends pick you up when you fall turning your eyes back to God; you live for eternity.
Addiction is sin, any addiction. You are leaning on something that is not God; you’re worshipping a false idol, not trusting in God. Does this make you a sinner? Yes! Do you have to remain in this sin? NO!
If we learn anything from David is you can’t do it alone. Not without God’s help or family and friends. My inside job for this week is releasing this sin and trusting God for healing and not trying to do it alone.
I haven’t quit nicotine but WE will!
Are you a David or a Samson in your sin?
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