Weight loss success in 20 days: day 17

Whatever your addiction is, it is important to fully understand the pros and con’s of your addiction at all times. We all would love to live in a fantasy world where we could just magically stop any addiction at any time. But it doesn’t work that way because there is always something we like a lot that keeps pulling us back in.

One secret to success is to understand what your addiction trap is. An addiction trap is any activity you do which will lead you back into full blown addiction. So we need to be aware of and very afraid of any activity which will trap us and cause us to be enslaved by the addiction.

For example we have the sugar addict. Sugar addicts don’t necessarily eat large meals. But when they eat one thing with sugar on it, it leads to 2 things then 4 things with sugar in it and so on and so forth. So in this case the trap is baited with sugar. In this example let us look at how 2 different people’s plans might play out.

In situation #1 our dieter is determined not to overeat today at work. In situation #2 our 2nd dieter has a blueprint for success. The blueprint calls for a small bowl of bean soup for lunch along with some carrots. The question is, which person would you predict will give in to the always available cookies. Person #1 who is very determined or person #2 who is very determined and who also has a plan? Yes both people can raid the cookies, but your odds of resisting cookies double or triple when you have a full stomach.

In this case we have sprung the trap (which is the cookies) before we got in it by making a blueprint for our success. In this scenario the addict understands that if they don’t prepare a good lunch they will be in severe temptation. So when the cookies are available their hunger may start them down a slippery slope which they likely can’t handle.

It is a similar story with a drinking  addiction. If person #1 is determined not to drink on Friday night they may succeed. But if person #2 is determined not to drink on Friday night and they have a fully scheduled course of action to get them through the night they have an advantage.

Here is a key point.

The more addicted you are the more you need to be prepared for your every move. In this example person #2 has a plan to play pool with non partying friends. Then they will hang out with Johnny who wants to support their dedication to change. Then they plan to go to bed at 1 am sharp.

In this scenario they now have some power and that power is their plan. And if they simply follow their plan they will spring the trap shut before they get caught in it.

Key point #2

Addiction is slavery. It tells you what to do, when to do it, where to go and how to act. Even if you love your addiction I want you to tell yourself 20 times a day that addiction is slavery. At its worst, addiction drives you to destruction and at the very least, it enslaves you into a habitual trap that will make it harder to fulfill your life given purpose.

Addiction is slavery just like all sin is slavery. The reason the Bible is so against sin is because sin always leads to destruction. For many people there are sin’s which are trigger points to your main addiction. Many secular programs want to solve your main addiction while leaving other sin in your life. The drawback to that method is it doesn’t often work all that well, plus you will never find your God given purpose that way. Having said that if you find any program that helps you, it is a good thing, as long as it is not against Christianity.

The solution to help with addiction and to overcome sin in general is to put a priority on daily Bible study. Read a chapter from the New Testament and one from the Old Testament each day. Then put a priority on doing what it says to do.

Every person who makes it a priority to follow God’s ways will find fullness of joy in their life to some extent. Every person who makes it a priority to follow Jesus ways in full (which is to obey his ways and to spread the Gospel) will always have fullness of joy.

Read Proverbs 14

Continue to read the Purpose Driven Life.

Should we condemn ourselves for slipping up again? Should we condemn ourselves for things from our past? Some people condemn themselves for things other people have done to them in the past. We somehow figure out a way to blame ourselves for what they did. We just can’t do that. We have to put the past to bed.

Many of us are still mad about things that happened years ago. We need to forgive the people who hurt us. When we don’t we go back into the anger cycle. First we are offended, then bitter, then resentful, then full blown rage. When we do forgive we regain a proper relationship with God. Mathew 6:14-15 says: For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Sometimes we let an emotional problem push us right back to indulgence. Instead of using food as a crutch when thing go bad find something you like to do that you do well, and do it over and over. If you spend your time doing things you’re not good at, it’ll frustrate you and cause you to feel defeated and unsuccessful.

Don’t let the way another person treats you determine your worth.

Keep your flaws in perspective. People with a high level of confidence have just as many weaknesses as people without confidence, but they concentrate on their strengths—not their flaws or weaknesses.”

The next question is, should you condemn yourself for going back to your addiction? The answer is no. But the best way to regain your joy is to develop a better plan to quit your addiction. The most important step to doing that is to get on the same page God is on. He wants you to quit your addiction so that you can fulfill your God given purpose. So first you ask Him to forgive you for your sin. Now you must create a plan and do it. Don’t let laziness or lack of organization stop you. Be a fanatic about following a plan to please God and to quit your addiction.

Also plan for life’s disasters. Don’t let money issues or people issues drag you back into indulgence.

Lastly pray more. Pray the prayer of Jabez which is 1 Chronicles 4:10 (KJV)

^“10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

Remember, that we start to be under God’s blessing when we start to obey the Bible.

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

This is a great prayer to pray every day. There is also a great book called the Prayer of Jabez which I highly recommend.

Read John 1.

Continue to read the Purpose Driven Life.

Index

Day 1: Cravings
Day 2: Develop positive addictions
Day 3: Start an overcoming addiction journal
Day 4: Controlling emotions
Day 5: Don’t sell your pleasure backwords
Day 6: With the Spirit we have liberty
Day 7: You have some self control
Day 8: Have coping statements
Day 9: Living water
Day 10: Learning from Genesis
Day 11: Consequences in Genesis
Day 12: Self control
Day 13: What leads to setbacks
Day 14: Learn toughness and learn how prayer helps with addiction
Day 15: What prayers does God answer
Day 16: Set goals