On
self-control and sober minds
Sobriety, in contemporary vernacular is equated with
the absence of drug or alcohol’s influence.
Its antithesis implies the giving over of one’s faculties to outside
influence. To surrender one’s person to
the control
of an altering substance.
This morning, I read a beautifularticle about an obvious, physical addiction. Heather Kopp, the author of SoberBoots, likened the addict’s state to that of a zombie: the shell of a person, utterly lifeless, and
bent only on destruction. I want to take
nothing away from that gripping, devouring experience of these physical
addictions (be they porn, alcohol, or drugs); yet today, as I read Titus 1 and
2, her description made me wonder at spiritual addictions. The combination this morning made me wonder
at the difference between the words “self-control” {NIV} and
“sober
minded.” {ASB}
I’ve stood in many a room and introduced myself as
thus:
“Hi,
I’m Jen. And I’m an addict. I am recovering from:…” The list went on ad nauseum. But, I wasn’t
the stereotypical addict, utterly given over to substances; at least not on the
outside. However, in truth, I can look
at my life and see where I have given control of my mind, my heart, and my life
to things [people, ideas] outside of me.
Things outside of the Holy Spirit.
If you’re still reading, and thinking, “oh, good, this
post has nothing to do with me,” might I humbly ask you to step back for just a
moment. And take a hard look at your
days, at how they’re spent. What’s the
first thought in your head in the morning?
The last before you go to sleep?
What is the pervasive theme of your ruminations?
Ask yourself:
What am I allowing to
control me?
Is it my physical appearance? Is it how I think others perceive me? Is it my bank account or my bills? Is it my home, my kids, my spouse, my
long-distant family, my local friends, the politics in my churches, social
media, politics, sports? Is it serving
God or his people? Is there anything
that has transformed who I was designed to be into a zombie’s mindless pursuit
of the very object of my desire?
Addiction’s a tricky thing. If it’s not the obvious, external kind, then
we can rationalize, justify. We can even
spiritualize some of these addictions.
If the expression of ours doesn’t look like the bum on the corner, or
the zombie in Kopp’s blog, we dismiss it.
But that’s the deception. The
prideful “I’m better than those
people.” And it’s a lie.
I can say this because none of us have arrived. None of us so is completely given over to God’s
graceful love that we are utterly unencumbered by this world and its
passions. All of us have something standing
in the way of perfect communion with our Heavenly Father, in the resplendence
of absolute Christ-likeness. And
whatever that thing is, that’s our addiction.
Because it is that which controls us.
But God…
But Christ is the freer of captives, the healer of the
broken, the answer to addiction. Ask him
to show you what’s making you a zombie.
Ask him to help you overcome it.
Ask him to help you stay sober-minded, not allowing your addiction to
control you anymore.
Ask Christ for sobriety. Sobriety from this world and its vain
pursuit. There is no shame in admitting that you are not sober-minded, nor self-controlled. Run head-long into Christ. He always meets each one of us wherever we are. The humble pursuits of a closer, deeper devotion to him is the cure
for the addictions and distractions we all face.
The sober-minded pursuit of Christ, and Christ alone,
requires self-control. Perhaps therein the
connection lies.
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