Bill battled drug and alcohol addiction for many years before starting his journey to freedom. Relapsing is a scary thought to contemplate for the addict and their loved ones, and Bill suggests three relapse warnings they should be aware of:
- Isolation
- Internal feelings of discontent, frustration and anger
- Delusional Thinking
You may not be a recovering addict, but we all face temptation of some kind most days. The Bible reminds us that God will always warn us when we are being tempted and He will provide a way out; “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). There are times, however, when we don’t heed God’s warning or take the way out that He has provided, and in the case of Cain and Abel, that choice proved fatal.
They were Adam and Eve’s first two sons – Cain, the farmer, and Abel, the shepherd (Genesis 4:1-2). At harvest time, the brothers brought God a portion of their labor; Cain offered crops from the land, while Abel presented the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. God accepted Abel and his sacrifice, but He rejected Cain and his offering, and this made Cain violently angry and dejected (Genesis 1:3-4)
God asked Cain why he was so downcast and reminded him that he and his sacrifice would have been accepted if he had done what was right. The Lord cautioned; “if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master”(Genesis 1:7 – NLT). This was God providing Cain with a way out of his destructive and negative thoughts, but he refused to take it and ultimately killed his brother (Genesis 1:8).
Just as a recovering addict becomes aware of the triggers that may lead to a relapse so too, when we humble ourselves before God, we become more aware of the things that slow us down and the sin that trips us up (Hebrews 12:1). In our own strength, we can’t master sinful desires, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can escape temptation and resist the devil who aims to steal, kill and destroy us and all we hold dear (Zechariah 4:6, 2 Timothy 2:22, James 4:7, John 10:10).