If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse, turning to your faith and the Bible can be a powerful factor in recovery. But, what does the bible actually say about addiction and recovery? The bible was written thousands of years before modern medicine and our modern understanding of addiction, does it even talk about it at all?The answer is yes, and in ways that may be inspiring for you or for your loved one. Depending on where you are in life and in your spirituality, there are also many different references to addiction and substance abuse in the bible. Addiction is just one more challenge that God put on earth for us to navigate, so of course His book talks about it. Here are some references to addiction in the bible.
1 Peter 5:8
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”
Addiction is a temptation and it will tempt you and it will overcome you, but if you are careful and invest in learning and vigilance, you can avoid the trap of addiction and relapse and stay on the path of recovery. That means long-term care and staying aware of the potential for relapse, so that you can take care of yourself.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Your body is a temple and it is your responsibility to care for it in a way that fits your faith and your love for God. That means working to overcome addiction and substance abuse and putting the same love and care into your body and your self that you would give to any other child of God.
Thessalonians 5:6-8
“Therefore, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
It’s important to always take steps to invest in yourself, your sobriety, and your body. Approaching recovery as a proactive thing, and one that requires contemplation and deliberate choice is important. And, you can do so from the standpoint of caring for yourself and using your spirituality and faith as a guiding light.
John 16:33
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
You can overcome any tribulation that is here for you on earth. It may not be easy, but you can do it, and God has given you the tools to do so. All you have to do is look for them, put in the work, and keep your mindset where it should be.
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1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
You can overcome any tribulation that you face, including addiction. It won’t be easy, but God has put the means to recover on earth for you and there will be no challenge you cannot overcome. It may not seem that way, but that is God’s promise.
Proverbs 20:1
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
Addiction can seem tempting, drugs and alcohol can seem like they make you feel better, but eventually they deceive and get in your way. Finding better coping mechanisms is important for living in a Christian way.
Ephesians 5:18
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit”
Turn to God for help with trouble, for feeling good, and for dealing with the tribulations of life, not to drugs and alcohol. That can be harder than it sounds on paper, but going to your community and church and asking for support and love will always yield better results than drinking or using and trying to escape from those same problems.
Romans 5:3-5
“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
You can overcome anything God puts in your path. However, it will require patience, hard work, and dedication. You must invest in faith and hope and continue to dedicate yourself to your path towards recovery – because it will not be an easy road – but with patience, you will get there.
James 5:15-16
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
Talk to your peers and your community, ask for help, and offer help where you can. People do not become righteous, clean, or sober on their own. You have help available to you, getting help and sharing is the way to recovery.
If you’re struggling with drugs or alcohol, it’s important to reach out and get help. God put temptation and struggle in your way but he also gave you tools and people to help you overcome those tribulations. Getting treatment and therapy, learning how to navigate your life without drugs and alcohol, and investing in a life of sobriety and self-care.
Good luck with recovery.
