That Makes Sense: A Gentle Reflection on the Origins of Addiction, How to Understand It, and How to Offer Yourself GraceSample

Welcome to our Bible Plan, That Makes Sense: A gentle reflection on the origins of addiction, how to understand it, and how to offer yourself grace. We are Wonderhunt, and we create content that helps you explore the deep and hidden things of God.

Often the most meaningful lessons God has for us are learned through lived experiences. Specifically, trials like depression, anxiety, or addiction. In this plan, we want to talk to you about the latter. If you’ve experienced addiction - you’re not alone. It’s something that so many people wrestle with, and on some level, every human being has. Part of the human experience is wrestling with sin, so you could even say we’re addicted to sinning.

We want to tackle this topic from a different, less common angle. So often, we look at addiction as a negative. Something that holds us back. Something that we can’t seem to shake. An ever present reminder of our shortcomings.

But what if your addiction began as a survival strategy?

Those behaviors, whether substances, working long hours, reaching for unhealthy foods, striving to image manage, seeking to control our environment (we could go on…) — they served a purpose. They soothe, numb, and protect us when something doesn’t feel right.

Unfortunately, what once helped us survive can begin to limit us. That’s the tension. It starts as a strategy but it becomes a cycle that is difficult to break. Pause here and check out this short film, Wrangled, to see if you can relate.

Did the film resonate with you? Does it ever feel like your addiction gets back up, even when you think you’ve tied it down? Addiction is a protective part of our nervous systems trying to soothe the pain of a deeper wound that still needs healing.

In the coming days, we’ll explore this idea further, but we want to give you some hope. Too often, we speak of addiction and the power it holds over us. But what if, instead, we asked where it might be coming from? The Holy Spirit dwells inside of each one of us, and that means we have the power we need to actually heal. To grow beyond the protection that addiction provides and step into the joy it always tried to bring.

Here’s the truth: Love is what casts out fear and heals all wounds.

Come back tomorrow as we talk about how to live with (and even embrace) addiction, and how willpower alone just won’t solve it.

Reflection: What has your addiction been helping you avoid? When did it first become necessary?

Prayer: God, help me speak to that part of myself with compassion, not shame or criticism. Help me see myself like You see me. Give me the clarity of mind to work with the Holy Spirit and heal. It’s in Your name I pray, amen.

Note: As you journey through this plan, be assured that we partnered with a licensed mental health professional, Chrissie Steyn, to provide informed, compassionate, and evidence-based support. Be aware that this plan is not a substitute for professional mental health care.