Three Reasons Why People Drink and Drug: Part 2

Three Reasons Why People Drink and Drug: Part II.

 

There are millions of reasons why people do what they do. However, most of the reasons why people drink and take drugs can be traced back to one of these three general reasons.

1. People Pleasing: Trying to fit in and gain the acceptance of others.

2. Reality Releasing: Trying to escape the pressure and reality of life.

3. Hurt Halting: Trying to stop the pain in our life and heart.
One of the basic reasons for alcohol consumption or drug usage is to escape the pressure or reality of life. Our lives are filled with stress and disappointments.  Perhaps an overbearing boss or co-worker, a bad marriage, trouble with the kids, or financial problems weigh us down. We simply desire to relax, to escape from our problems, and to blow off some steam.  Once again the answer found in our flesh and in this old world are insufficient.  They do not work long term.  Sure, for a brief moment your stress is gone, but when the alcohol, drug, or other coping mechanism ends, the reality returns. Running from one's responsibility doesn't solve the problem, and in most instances makes it worse.  The reality of our life isn't changed by running to alcohol, drugs, or some other man-made solution.

As difficult as it may be to understand, God allows struggles into our lives.  He uses these struggles to improve our character.  It is improved character that improves our circumstances or helps us to daily cope with them.
 
Romans 5:3-5 (KJV) ³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; ⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
What is God promising?  God is promising that our tribulation (problems) produces the following characteristics in our life.  First is patience.  Patience is an ability to endure.  Not running from our problems, but facing them allows God to use the problem to produce stronger character in our lives.  It gives God the opportunity to be God in our lives. 

Secondly, God is promising that our patience (endurance, tackling our problems) produces endurance.  What is endurance?  Endurance is the process of learning to trust God to see us through the problems and circumstances in our lives.  How often do we try to tackle our problems in our own strength and our own intellect?  Endurance is trusting God in the circumstances of our lives.

Thirdly, God is promising that our patience produces endurance, and our endurance produces hope.  Hope is to anticipate with pleasure, to have faith.  We can have faith that God is going to work everything out for our good and His glory.

Romans 8:28 (KJV) ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Please note that God is not promising that all problems will disappear if we face, trust, and have faith.  He is promising that He will work them together for your good. 

Let me illustrate. There was an old preacher that bowed his knee in prayer and prayed.  Father, you know I hate flour, oh I hate the taste of flour.  I hate baking soda, Lord you know I hate baking soda.  Lord, I don't like the taste of baking powder or salt or even buttermilk.  Lord, but when You mix them all together, and bake them in the oven; out comes homemade buttermilk biscuits.  Thank you Lord that you are mixing all the ingredients of my life together to make delicious homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Face your problems, trust God that He is working, and have faith that God will work it all out for your good.  If you notice in Romans 5:5, God speaks of the Holy Spirit of God filling our hearts with the love of God.  This the end result of facing, trusting, and having faith in God is improved character.   Our character is improved and our hearts are filled with God's love.

Each of us have a choice when the pressures and circumstances of live are unpleasant.  Do we seek our own solution or God's?