What do you think about when you hear the word: ADDICTION? Do you envision an unbathed, toothless and homeless man passed out on a park bench? Do you see an empty bottle of alcohol in a brown paper bag on the ground beneath him?

What is addiction anyway?  Is it a dependence on something, a craving, a habit or enslavement?

Addictions can range from hard core enslavements such as drugs, alcohol, or pornography to seemingly innocent cravings like sugar, gaming, shopping or even social media.

Regardless of what the addiction may be, each one could be a form of slavery.  If it is  “unhealthy” for the well-being of your mind, body or relationships it could drain your hope, your finances, and even your health. And in most cases you need more of the addiction to satisfy the craving because the last “fix” was not enough. Some addictions have to be given up altogether for a healthier you, but the simpler ones just need to be kept under control.

But not all desires are necessarily bad. There are people that cannot get enough exercise, people who want more education, people who want to excel in a sport or talent and spend hours on their efforts. These can be considered “healthy choices” and can be good in and of themselves but need to have balance.

But I want to talk about a different kind of addiction: This one is outside of the box. It is the addiction of Christ. What does that mean anyway?  How can one become addicted to Jesus?

Well if addiction is a dependency, I depend on him. I depend on him to set me free from anything that keeps me back in life. I depend of him to protect me in the darkest hour. I depend upon him to give me the grace to overcome during a trial, the grace to forgive, the grace to get back up when I get knocked down. I depend on him to give me new life in this time frame and in the afterlife.

If addiction is a craving, I crave for him. I crave for him to fill my empty heart when I have been hurt, to satisfy my soul when it is longing for hope, to give me peace that passes understanding when my circumstances seem out of control.

If addiction is a habit, then I want to learn his habits. I want to be in the habit of being kind, forgiving, and helping others get free, like he did. I want to hear my heavenly Father’s voice, like he did.

If addiction is enslavement, I long to be a slave of righteousness, a slave of love, a slave of joy and a slave of his mercy.

This ADDICTION can be completely satisfied by his presence.

Yet I MORE.

I want more of his kindness, more of his love, more of his hope for my tomorrows. It’s crazy because when I get more of him, and share this addiction with other people it always comes back to me. I give his love and his love comes back to me. ♥ He just keeps giving and giving and giving because he gives abundant life.

This addiction does not steal. It does not steal my health, my finances, my hope or my joy. It only fills those empty places that I tried to fill with other things.

And what is even better is that this addiction added to those “healthy choices” can only INCREASE my dreams and talents and hopes.

Please understand. I am not speaking about religion…I am talking about the addiction of a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus.

I AM A HOPEFULL ADDICT. And you can be too!

The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10