What Is Addiction, Really?

Sarah Annie Schneider: Welcome to the Addicted to God podcast. I'm your host, Sarah Schneider, and I'm addicted to God. Welcome! This is a podcast where we journey together toward the abundant life that God has for us. What is addicted to God? It's recognizing that God is the one and only healthy addiction and how to have a relationship with Him. I have mentored women, led Bible studies, taught ethical dimensions of leadership to master's students, and have facilitated small support groups. I'm not a Bible scholar. I'm just a girl who has fallen head over heels in love with Jesus. And I want to help others find true freedom, healing, and hope, particularly anyone who's confused about what a higher power is and why that higher power is can only be and should be God. Also for anyone who is discouraged or defeated in life. Because when life gets hard, we want help. And that help comes from the Lord. Psalms 121 verse 2 says, My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. In our darkest hours, we will find God. He will meet us right where we are. Today, we're diving into a topic that touches so many of us, often in ways we don't even recognize. So the question I want to address today is, what is addiction? Really? Let me start with this powerful verse from 2 Peter 2, 19. That's the heart of it, Addiction enslaves us. Addictions master over us. This isn't just about those people out there. Those meaning people who can't control themselves or those whose lives have been destroyed by addiction. You may think, as I once did, that people in jail are the ones who are trapped. But I learned, sure, people in incarceration have tangible walls, but anyone with an addiction, at least biblically speaking, is in a prison of their own. You may not be able to see it, but it's definitely confining you and you are restrained from living the way God wants you to live and be all that God created you to be. Addiction, technically, is anything that controls you, anything you feel that you can't live without. In this episode, we'll explore what might be mastering you so that you can take an honest look at hidden habits and see how God steps right into the fight with us. As you listen, consider this dialogue to be a safe place. No judgment, just truth and hope. So let's get to it. First, let's redefine addiction through a biblical lens. The world often pictures an addict as a hopeless junkie, that pothead or the brown bag drunk, someone who's lost everything to their next fix. Those stereotypes carry heavy stigma. which makes us think and say, that's not me. So I'm not that bad. But addictions hide in plain sight. I shared that in episode three, just about how elusive addictions are, especially mine. It's not always about frequency or substances. It's compulsive engagement despite negative consequences. Behaviors that are driven by changes in our brain's reward system. won't get into the science in this podcast. Honestly, never. Because there are thousands of qualified experts that have studied the science. If science is what you're looking for, there is no shortage of information out there. It's right at your fingertips. And I'm not saying that science isn't important because there is definitely a need for scientific evidence. Where I find peace despite the science is that God made humans, which means he made science. I'm fascinated by the minds that God gave us to create, explore, investigate, and educate ourselves and others. After all, we are driven for answers and explanations for why we do what we do. It can be substances like drugs, alcohol, vaping, or cigarettes. But it can also be behaviors like gambling, pornography, over shopping, overworking, or even doom scrolling on your phone. Even acceptable things like sugar, coffee, or endless achievement can master us. I know this personally because I shared it in episode three. At least I touched on it. could devour pounds of candy in one sitting, polish off an entire pint of ice cream, or demolish a box of cookies, saying, just one more. ⁓ once I start, ⁓ usually can't stop, especially if I'm bored. Boredom is not my friend. When it comes to finding things that will keep me busy, content, distracted, ⁓ I just want to pass the time. I'll scrape the bottom of an ice cream bowl clean, and I'll promise to, quote, work it off later. That rarely happens. You know what the worst part is? Sugar is everywhere. It's easy to over indulge and nearly impossible to quit. The consequences? Heart palpitations, jitters, crashing blood sugar, mid-afternoon slumps. I'd reach for more sugary caffeine just to push through. It's like a cycle that I can't stop. Over time, my clothes get tighter, I see bloating, get headaches, acne, all of a sudden disinterested in healthy food because I'm relying on sugar to stay alert and be productive. And if I can't control the cravings, eventually it's going to lead to obesity, diabetes, and real heart issues. Society glamorizes these OK addictions like sugar or workaholism But they shame others Why the double standard? ⁓ addiction is a thief because it steals joy freedom ⁓ our closeness to ⁓ Corinthians 6 12 reminds us I have the right to do anything you say but not everything is beneficial I have the right to do anything but I will not be mastered by anything. What God is saying is that it's not bad to enjoy things. He wants us to enjoy food and snacks, treats, and even a drink on occasion, or a self-indulgent double shot of espresso in our mocha peppermint latte. The point is we're not to be mastered by anything. In other words, don't make it a god, small g, which means idol. or something that replaces God, Big G, the one and only true God. So to get practical, let's pause for a quick self-reflection exercise. If you have a minute, grab a notebook or your phone notes if you can. I'll put this list in the show notes in this podcast just so you can take your time. Pray that God will reveal your addictions to you. This is simply an outline to be thought-provoking. So here we go. Ask yourself, what of these categories describes me? Check what resonates. Self-image. Obsessing over your appearance, excessive makeup, skincare, possibly even Botox or surgeries. Substances that we've already talked about, drugs, cigarettes, vaping, marijuana. Alcohol, relying on drinks to unwind. Gambling. Sex or porn, shopping, materialism, overworking, eating patterns, binging, starving, anorexia, bulimia, collecting obsessively, or chasing achievement or status. What about self-deprecation, body modification, self-injury, or on the other extreme, controlling others, over-medicating, excessive exercise? In today's modern age, very common, digital addiction, screens, doom scrolling, chasing likes. And lastly, unhealthy relationships, or even obsessions. If I didn't mention anything here in this list, maybe you can just think of what controls you simply by asking you the question, what else controls you? Finally, what do you love most and what do feel you can't live without? It could be a person, a thing, or an activity. One of these things, or many of these things, could just be an idol pulling you from God. So, review your list and think about it. Do these things have power over me? Are they mastering me? I ask you this not to shame you, but for you to become honest with yourself. These could be things that you are consumed by that have replaced God. Empty, fleeting things that you think will bring you pleasure, happiness, or fulfillment. This, my friends, is a lie right out of Satan's playbook. Think back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve lived in paradise with God, but who showed up? Satan. disguised in the form of a serpent. One of these things that you have identified on your list of addictions could be thought of as your serpent. It's located in Genesis 3, and if you want to get out your Bible, I'm just going to give you a quick reading of verses 1 through 7 in the NIV version. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? The woman said to the serpent, We may eat from any fruit from the trees in the garden. But God did say you must not eat from the tree that is in the middle of the garden and you must not touch it or you will die. You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened. Let's re-script this and replace that forbidden fruit with addiction and how Satan could be using it to deceive you. Imagine the serpent slithering up today, crafty as ever, speaking right to your heart through that thing that you circled or thought of or wrote down. He starts with doubt, just like in the garden. Did God really say that that's off limits? Come on. That's just one little habit. Really, it's not gonna hurt you. Everyone else does it. Scrolling endlessly, adding that extra drink to unwind, chasing the perfect body, numbing out with porn or shopping sprees. Did God really mean you can't have just a taste of this pleasure, control, or escape? What a killjoy, he'll try to tell you. You might push back a little, like Eve. Well, God says it leads to broken relationships, crashing health. Your peace gets robbed from you. He warned me it would master But the serpent hisses back, ⁓ and convincing. This is certainly not true, for God knows that when you indulge in these things, when you binge, when you chase that high, when you scroll for hours seeking validation, your eyes will be opened. You will feel fully alive, in control, wise, accepted by others, and satisfied. You'll be like God, independent, fulfilled, no longer depending on him or anyone for joy or to justify your worth. This is freedom. This is what you've been missing. So then, just like Eve, you look at again through deceived eyes. It seems good for filling that void, like food or substances promising comfort, pleasing to the senses, the exhilaration of winning at gambling or the high of achievement, and desirable for gaining something you crave, wisdom, power, escape, or belonging. So you reach for it. One won't hurt, right? and you give in, maybe you even share it, inviting a friend into the cycle, because you're normalizing it. But then your eyes are opened, but not to life, to shame, to emptiness, to chains, to regret. The temporary pleasure fades, the crash comes, the consequences pile up. Failing health, relationships draining, distance from God growing, the chasm is growing wider. What promised to make you happy actually made you a slave to something far less. Just like in the garden, what felt like freedom became the very thing that mastered you. This is Satan's playbook. He doesn't show up with horns and a pitchfork. He shows up disguised as relief, fun, self-improvement, and just this once he whispers the same three lies that you've heard. God's holding out on you. You won't really have consequences. And this will make you whole, powerful, or happy. But every addiction on your list is built on those lies. It's the serpent in your proverbial garden, which is your life. And today, promising paradise while delivering a pit. The good news? The story doesn't end in the garden. Jesus came to crush that serpent's head. It's actually said that in Genesis 3.15. He faced temptation head on in the wilderness and won. using God's Word every time. And because He overcame, you can too. The same power that raised Him from the dead offers you a chance to break free from those addictive chains. So take a breath. Look back at your list. Name that serpent. Bring it into the light with God. Confess it. Ask Him to replace the lie with His truth. Because Anything mastering you doesn't have the final say. Jesus does. We'll talk more about breaking free in the coming episodes, but for now, pray. Lord, reveal the deception. Help me see the lie for what it is. Set me free to love you more. If there is one thing I really want you to take away from this podcast is that you are not alone in this fight. God's got you. A verse that you can cling to as you transfer your addiction from worldly things to God is 1 Corinthians 10 13. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can endure it. You see, with God in your corner ⁓ on the throne of your life, you can win ⁓ ⁓ battle. ⁓ up with an analogy after seeing the destruction of addiction in the dozens of women I have mentored. ⁓ Addiction as an MMA fighter. Bigger, stronger, always ahead. It feels invincible. You want to tap out or avoid the ring. But you're not alone in this. Joshua 1, 9 says, Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. With God in your corner, the unbeatable becomes conquerable. Imagine your arm raised victoriously over every giant. Many think you must hit rock bottom to change. I've mentored women in jail who have tried everything, rehab, willpower, denial, before they finally got to a place where they were crying out to God. But God isn't a last resort. He's your best hope from the first step. Psalms chapter 40 verses 1 and 2 say, I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. to start. A small wake-up call, like awareness of some of the addictions you've identified today, can spark change. My shopaholism nearly bankrupted us and strained my marriage. Workaholism led to autoimmune issues, fatigue, and depression. But you can confront it. You're only as sick as your secrets, they say in the 12-step community. Admitting there is a fight is your first win. God gives you strength. He promises to give strength to the weary in Isaiah 40 verse 29. And by the way, This isn't just your battle, it's actually God's. You get to trade all of your worldly masters for a life anchored in Him. He empowers, heals, restores, and He will step into the ring. So be honest, seek Him, take action. Finally, getting real with God is your next step. Jeremiah 17.9 says, heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Our hearts, friends, all the time. You might be thinking, what is our heart? It's our deepest, inmost desires of our souls, the seat of our emotions, our will, our longings, and our motivations. And it's at the core of who we really are when nobody's watching. It's not just feelings. It's the hidden engine that drives what we chase, what we crave, and what we justify to ourselves day after day. So pause. How do you feel about being an addict? Offended? Are you already comparing yourself to other worst cases? Perhaps you're justifying what you do and why you do it. You could very well be in denial, but I encourage you to be curious. Perhaps you could gain by giving up what you're holding onto for the greatness that God has in store for you. It's really a question that asks, what do you lean on when life gets heavy? Proverbs 14-12 says, is a way that appears to be right, but in the end leads to death. What way seems right to you? The habit you justify? really a mirror. My sugar struggle showed me chains that I didn't see. ⁓ I want to end this podcast with this question. What are we becoming? Are we becoming closer to God or are we on our own independence and our own strength to get us through? ⁓ so much appreciate you for joining me today. And if this stirred something in your heart ⁓ someone on your heart came to mind as you were listening to this podcast, ⁓ do pray that you would pass it on. ⁓ remember, you're not alone. He's there with you, ⁓ ready to lift you. I encourage you to reach out to me at my email address, AddictedToGodPod at gmail.com. I'd love to hear your story. I'd love to hear messages that would inspire you and ideas that can inspire you to stay addicted to God.