#IdentwentyIssues: Addictions

I think, as the world is progressing, we are finding more ways of less-intensively being addicted. Adjusting our consciences to accept them (addictions) just the way they come. And if the addiction can’t be made less intense, it is made more just. “Justify it to gratify us” is what we follow. “If it hurts me, put it down, by any means necessary”. We put down the haters, said stigma and only tune our ears’ frequency to the sounds of those who support us. Regarding no sound counsel, we try ‘new’ means of quelling the injustices that this world pummels us with. 

“Justify it to gratify us”

Human comfort is the goal. Don’t hurt my feelings. Don’t judge me. Whilst there being honest cases, we’ve taken advantage and crossed much into the other side of the fence we oughtn’t. Some ask, “But, where’s the fence?”
What dictates our morality, how far is too far, isn’t an external influence. It is not, “When I am with friends”, “When I sit down and indulge in memes”, “When I am on the phone”.
The literature experts term this situation as ‘Escapism’. If it’s escapism, we have to be escaping from something. We’re avoiding something. Or, in this case, someone.
Our escaping from the pains and hurts we face on a daily, weekly or past ones means that we are seeking for something but are doing so in the wrong places. There’s a comfort we seek but we ain’t getting it. We’ve looked high and low. Far and wide. East to west. We’ve looked for it.
And it’s quite sad that we don’t even know we are looking for it in the first place.

Not to despair.

There is hope.

But before that… 

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  Foodstuffs and sweet stuffs

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  Beer and alcohols

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  Our devices

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  Betting on chance and luck

Why?
Why replace what is true with a replica of it and expect the replica to function as well as the original? Why pornify what was designed and said to be “good” in the first book of the Bible? Life was breathed of God to the first man, Adam. It flows on into us. We live that life, on the very same earth Adam walked. And life isn’t easy. It hasn’t been since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. And it won’t be.

That’s just the truth.

Life puts it out clearly… Jesus says it too

With that in mind, we have to find a solution. Sorting the problem with ‘what we think should do the trick’ hasn’t worked. We’ll need to work our way backwards. Sort this escapism from the source and find our way to the answer. To sort a problem that has been existent for long (but that we are slowly discovering) we need a solution that lasts longer than our own lives. One that can outlive us to be seen by the future, and hence get passed down to them. What is it? Does it even exist?

We’ve been lazy. Sorry for the ‘blatant attacks’ but, really, we’ve been under our potential. Not just the Adams. Nor is it on the Eves. We’ve been settling for less. Going for temporary options when we know the problem at hand isn’t a temporary one. We think that since cycles are endless, then they befit solving this world’s endless problems. Giving a fish to a hungry person won’t solve his hunger issue tomorrow. And if you keep on giving him/her, you’ll get tired( & poor) . 
Probably a bit more of proactivity will do. Probably those yoga lessons will ease the pains. Probably if I try giving this new guy a chance, it’ll soothe the heartbreak.
Self-consolation needs to rise to a standard where we are not consoling ourselves with fallen-short promises. Nor with things that will lull the problem for just a while. Yes, console. But console with something that lasts. Truly lasts. For example, the truth. Which is…?

What is our hope? What really is this lasting truth? This lasting solution? For millenials, we have a specific solution to it all. Weirdly enough, as specific as that solution is to us is as specific it is to Generation X, Y and even Baby Boomers.
Giving our trust to Jesus doesn’t guarantee us a little while of satisfaction, a night without the thought of pain. Trusting in Jesus is an assurance that in spite of all that pain, suffering, persecution or depression, we have One who faced it all and now is in it with us. 

He doesn’t leave us when we leave Him. He doesn’t get stale like jokes. An experience with Him isn’t leveled down to a Share button, Like button or any button really. It is as real as getting together with friends and talking things out, laughing things out and even crying things out to each other. That is the Jesus I’m talking about. He didn’t go to play cards with the disciples when things got rough, He went to Mt Olives and got real with God. When in agony, He prayed even the more earnestly (Luke 22:44). Is there something I can learn from that? 

You don’t need to wallow deep in thought. No. Don’t drown in another beer bottle any more to quench that thirst for peace. Not even another porn (sensually exciting) video to satisfy your need for companionship and pleasure. I’ll not point you to what the latest YouTube trend told me is the best way to achieve instant peace this week. I know they’ll point me to another next week.

Instead, I’ll point you to One that is steadfast week in week out. He doesn’t change a single day. He loves you just the way He did yesterday. And He will love you tomorrow just the way He does today. Fully (you are enough to God). Without Conditions (you don’t need to do anything to qualify for His Love) . Expecting Nothing in Return (As far apart from Him as you may see yourself, He doesn’t disqualify you from His Love). Permanently (He has loved you with an everlasting love). 

Find your peace in Him. In Christ. In God. He is always with you, ready for you to run to Him for with open arms, like a Father long awaiting for the return of His son, His daughter, His arms are wide open.

Escape into His arms. Run into them and escape from them no more.

{Now, you can answer this: … the truth. Which is…?
The Word of God.
(John 1:1-2) 
The Word of God is Jesus.
(John 14:6)} 

Jesus really is the lasting solution. Won't you trust Him today?