“Give careful thought to your ways. You eat, but you never have enough. You drink, but you never have your fill” (Haggai 1:5-6).
Addiction seeks the next thrill, the next hit, the next high. But it is never enough. To that way of thinking, George Orwell said, “Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.”
Adam Sicinski addressed this issue with his article, “Do You Struggle with Instant Gratification?” He suggests that we answer four simple questions.
- What do I want to achieve?
- How will I achieve this?
- Why do I want this?
- Why is it important to work toward this vision?
It is when we reduce life to the things that really matter that the bright colors of addiction fade into the background.
Recovery Step: You have chased the next high for long enough. It’s time to move from gratification to gratitude, from what stimulates to what satisfies.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
