From Addiction to Freedom: How God Set Me Free

Do you have an addiction that is causing you pain?

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

God always gives us what we need. Sometimes He sends it through the voice of a friend, a sermon, or even a quiet nudge in our hearts. One day, He used a dear friend to speak a hard truth to me. She began telling me about her journey of quitting smoking. At first, her words made me mad. Deep down, I knew if I heeded her advice, my life would change—but I didn’t want to change.

My problem was simple: I didn’t want to quit. I was addicted. It was the first thing I did each morning and the last thing I did each night. While I was ashamed of it, I also enjoyed it. The enemy convinced me that smoking helped my anxiety since I had started during one of the most stressful seasons of my life.

So, even when I prayed, my heart wasn’t in it. My lips said, “Lord, help me quit,” but my true prayer was, “Please don’t make me quit.” I didn’t believe I could.

But God is faithful.

Eventually, I reached the breaking point. My health was deteriorating, and my fear grew stronger. One day, I sat on the deck and cried out from the depths of my heart:
“Lord, I am willing. Please take this addiction from me.”

And He did.

The shift was instant. The desire left me. Cigarettes no longer looked like comfort—they looked like poison. That day I threw them away, and I’ve never touched them since. It’s been fifteen years. Not once have I longed for them.

What I Learned About Overcoming Addiction:

We must be honest with God. He already knows our hearts; pretending doesn’t work.
Addiction is the enemy’s chain. Jesus has already broken it—we simply have to step into freedom.
Surrender is the key. When I truly gave it to God, He gave me the strength I didn’t have on my own.

Sweet friend, if you are struggling with an addiction, please know this: you are not alone. God cares. He is not ashamed of you. He longs to help you. Talk to Him about it, even if your words are messy or raw. Invite Him in, and He will make a way for you to overcome.

John 16:33 KJV
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

If you’d like me to pray with you about your struggle, send me a message or leave me a comment. I know the pain of addiction, but I also know the peace of deliverance. And I want that freedom for you too.

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