A Path to Simplicity #2
#2. Reject anything producing addiction in you.
We need to draw a distinct line between our needs and our wants. Addiction is rampant in our society, addictions that are both common and detrimental include sex, alcohol, pornography and media. While some of these things may be beneficial in the proper context, when they are the root of addiction they cause both hurt and hardship.
Not sure if your addicted to something? To figure it out watch for undisciplined compulsions in your behaviour. In the following paragraph from The Celebration of Discipline Foster recalls a conversation from his past:
“A student friend told me about one morning when he went out to get his newspaper and found it missing. He panicked, wondering how he could possibly start the day without the newspaper. Then he noticed a morning paper in his neighbour’s yard, and he began to plot how he could sneak over and steal it. Immediately he realized that he was dealing with a genuine addiction. He rushed inside and called the newspaper office to cancel his subscription. The receptionist, obviously filling out a form, asked courteously, ‘Why are you cancelling your subscription to the newspaper?’ My friend blurted out, “Because I’m addicted!” Undaunted, the receptionist replied, ‘Would you like to cancel your entire subscription or would you like to keep the Sunday edition?’ to which he exclaimed, ‘No, I’m going cold turkey!' Now, obviously not everyone should cancel their subscription to the newspaper, but for this young man it was an important act.”
In our day addiction may manifest itself in many different forms. It could be your iPhone, your Facebook page, Twitter account, it could even be taking pictures for the sole purpose of Instagraming them. Remember, an undisciplined compulsion is sign of an addiction and an addiction is something beyond your control. By nature, will power is useless in defeating addiction. Open this area of your life up to God and up to those around you, experience the liberation associated with combatting addiction. In Romans 13 Paul talks about the contrast between fulfilling the desires of the flesh and following Jesus: "clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."
“Simplicity is freedom, not slavery. Refuse to be a slave to anything but God.” – Foster
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Jordan Michalski
Student Ministries Assistant | Soul Sanctuary