This Week’s Recovery Application Challenge
Please click on TWIRL 013 to complete the lesson before working on this TWRAC exercise
Biochemical Warfare: Moral Sabotage
Devout men and women of God, who love God, throughout time have struggled with the issue of sexual addiction and love/relationship addiction. Contrary to what some might say, this aspect of addiction is a brain problem that leads to some awfully sick choices that suggests that it is wrought with disease. However, people with the sex/love addiction disease are not exempt from responsibility and consequence. The diabetic and the heart patient not only needed intervention at one time for their disease, but if they continue in patterns of behavior that contributed to the cause and severity of their disease they will experience logical consequences that prove fatal. As sex addicts continue in patterns of behavior that perpetuate the severity of their disease, the consequences they experience could prove fatal in terms of relationships, family, career, and even their physical well-being.
Sabotaged by Addiction
The moral sabotage that occurs through the experience of alcohol and drug addiction is also encouraged by biochemical warfare. Drug addicts will do whatever they have to do to experience that high. So parents are stunned and shocked when their sons and daughters steal from them to obtain alcohol and drugs (including cigarettes since nicotine is about the most addictive drug that exists). For 15-20 years their sons and daughters have been these model God-fearing, even God-loving kids and then… WHAM! These beautiful children turn evil having been turned on to drugs.
The sole purpose of alcohol and drug use is to stimulate the pleasure, reward, relief center of their experience. What does every drug there is do? Drugs increase dopamine levels and people feel better. From that cigarette to that drink to that drag on a pipe to that hit of something; it is all about that dopamine rush that is the euphoria of the high. Husbands and wives will leave their spouses for that high. Mothers and fathers will neglect, abuse, and even abandon their children for that high. Students will go from academic achievement to academic failure for that high. Professionals will risk their careers for that high. Clergy and health professionals will risk their credibility, reputation, and license to practice for that high. Finally, not only will drug addicts steal and lie and what not, they will kill either because they are high or to obtain what they need to get high.
Even men and women and teenagers who genuinely love and worship God end up compromising their faith because of their addiction. The same is true of eating disorders and food addictions, gambling addictions, technology addictions, and so on. Once you accept that the biochemical systems of a person have been hijacked by addiction, you can understand why morality is so fragile because of addiction. Why does impaired brain function always direct us down a road of destruction? Well, that is the result of our selfish sin nature working in tandem with the self-minded brain to establish a culture of discontent that is unsettling and discomforting, to say the least.
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15 (NLT)
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:21-25 (NLT)
Paraphrasing John 8:32-34: Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” They responded, “Set free from what? We come from good families. When were we ever slaves?” Jesus answered, “The moment you gave into your selfish thoughts and desires, you became a slave to them.”
One not need ask, “How could she let it go so far with him that two families were destroyed?” or “How could he hurt his wife like that with a prostitute?” or “Why can’t he quit drinking?” or “Why won’t she eat (or stop eating)?” I suppose these are all fair questions but it certainly helps when we understand the combination of biochemical condition and process, and the selfish sin nature that are working together to erode the moral fiber of our being. Once we are enslaved by addiction we are helpless, powerless to do anything about it on our own. It is all about me. I am addicted to me. This is MEdom. This is where we live.
These questions are of a highly personal nature but it is important that you answer them honestly for yourself.
- What might be examples of moral sabotage in your life?
- What would you say are the moral and ethical challenges you are faced with?
- What might you say are moral and/or ethical dilemmas you’re attempting to manage?
- What might you say you could be in denial about concerning moral challenges and dilemmas?
- How might you be rationalizing your moral issues, whether in your relationships and circumstances, or even answering these questions?
- How has navigating through your moral challenges and dilemmas been stressful for you?
- How have these challenges affected you spiritually?
- How have these challenges impacted your relationships?
- spouse/mate
- children
- parents
- friends
- colleagues
- managers
- church
- What are the decisions you are faced with concerning these challenges?
- How are you feeling about it? Explain.
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