ADDICTED TO THINGS

“St Augustine of Hippo (354-430) once said “God is always trying to give good things to us but our hands are too full to receive them.”

Gerald May (1940-2005) psychiatrist and theologian, comments on this: “If our hands are too full, they are full of things to which we are addicted. And not only our hands, but also our hearts, minds and attention are clogged with addiction. Our addictions fill up the spaces within us, spaces where grace might flow. The spiritual significance of addiction is not just that we lose freedom through attachment to things, but that we try to fulfill our longings for God through objects of attachment.”

Addictions (attachments) are often very difficult to break or change. Whether it is smoking, drinking, drugs, TV, cell phones, computer games, noise, video games, food, unwise spending, improper behavior…. whatever. If they were easy to deal with not so many of us would be addicted to them. Crying out for mercy and grace…change and newness of mind and body and emotions is all I know to do in dealing with them. I sure know that shame and guilt won’t help.

“And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Jesus