Faith and Hard Work

Faith based substance abuse treatment is becoming more and more popular as greater and greater success is experienced with higher power centered treatment. This is not a new idea however Alcoholics Anonymous of course has always recognized the importance in the reliance on a higher power for recovery.

I am grateful to see all kinds of faith based treatment going on around the country. In the not so distant past there has been some kind of strange separation between accepted treatment methods and faith or a connection with God. There also has existed in various religious communities a misguided effort to treat addiction as just a sin that repentance can cure.

If you happen to be a clergy allow me to reason with you concerning this matter. Although cleansing ones spirit is of the utmost importance as the addict needs healing for the wounded conscience, and reconciliation for all of the wrong doings and hurtful deeds. However this alone is not enough, a sincere desire to change although imminently important falls short of the very real medical and psychological care that they need to succeed.

There are psychological lesions that need to be disinfected and closed, there are cascading thought patters that will inevitably lead the addict to use if they are not taught how to change those patterns. There are also some very real physical side affects that must be dealt with effectively. There are in many cases self medicating users who desperately need medication.

Let me ask you a question. If you had a loved one who was diagnosed with cancer would you not employ all of your faith and prayers in their behalf, and then would you not do all that was humanly possible and employ all available medical treatment to help them? Perhaps the same approach should be taken with substance abuse. There are very qualified and talented professionals out there ready to help.

The reason in my opinion, for much success in the faith based treatment realm is because the addiction in many cases is so far out of control that the addict becomes hopeless. Hopelessness will always lead to relapse, we can in no wise move forward if we are not possessed of a clear hope that we will succeed.

I would like to share an example, pleas indulge me. I remember being prescribed Lortab for pain following a surgery. I was aware of the addictive effects and so I only took it when the pain was unbearable. When the time came to stop taking the Lortab, I was able through my own will power to stop. I did experience some achy ness and irritability but it was not overpowering and I was able to stop through my own volition. Now consider how much more difficult it would be to stop if the usage had gone on for years. I myself with my limited personal experience with Lortab can see it as a problem that cannot be overcome alone. Placing faith in God that he will help you after you have gone as far as you are capable, or in other words even though the addict is not capable of overcoming the addiction, having faith that God wants them to succeed and that he will make up where they lack is in many cases the only way to keep from slipping into hopelessness.

Most addicts are constantly teetering on the edge of hopelessness, they have experienced daily and sometimes hourly failure over an extended period of time. Many addicts have compromised their standards to the point of extreme self loathing and have convinced themselves that they are worthless.

Helping addicts build or rebuild a relationship with God will have a profound influence on self esteem, and will build hope as they learn that they never have to be alone in their efforts to change, and that they do not have to accomplish the impossible, they just have to do all they can.

http://www.oinksolutions.com/cms/

Yoga and Christianity a Conflict?
Being a practicing Christian myself, there are very few things in Yoga that conflict with Christianity. Some critics argue that Yoga and Christianity cannot co-exist, and yet we know that Yoga is not a religion.However, that depends on your opinion. Recently, I was reading about someone who claims Kundalini is new age witchcraft. Sorry to say, ...

Leadership and Communication
The present administrations support of faith-based organizations has caused a new phenomenon that is often not addressed. Faith based organizations are engaging in community service at growing rates and pursuing government grants to support their efforts. There are numerous workshops to help common people learn the ins and outs of getting governm...

Trust Me - Everything Will Be All Right
When I think of trust, things like integrity, faith, belief and confidence come to mind. As an employee I want to feel secure that I will be heard, understood and accepted. As an employer I want my staff to do the right thing, to believe in me and be confident in my decisions. As a customer I want to know that the company I am doing business with w...

How To Make Money Online The Easy Way
You are working your day job and realize that it just isn't what you want to do. What you really want to do is be able to work from the comfort of your own home and make just as much money as you do now. Well you can do all that and maybe make even more if you work hard enough at it. The problem most people have is not knowing where to start, bu...

No Credit Check Cash Advance Loans Can Rescue You From Financial Despair
Bad credit history is one of those major reasons that restrict a person's financial benefits. Though revised financial services and financial service providers are offering loan schemes for such borrowers but, as it is risky deal for lenders, they demand unnecessary documentation and credit details to approve such loans. In normal conditions, this ...

Karmic Yoga and the Inner Work
It was said that the Dalai Lama meditates four hours a day. When one of his close associates were asked how he spend so much time meditating with his busy schedule he said that the Dalai Lama meditated for other people, rather then himself. He also said that the meditation allowed him to do the work. The way he was affected by his spiritual path...

Dealing With a Hostile Work Environment
What is a hostile work environment? Here is a good definition from East Carolina Universitys Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity website:[a hostile work environment is] one that both a reasonable person would find hostile or abusive and one that a particular person who is the object of the harassment perceives to be hostile or abusive. Hostile ...