"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slave to obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"
This brings me back to when I was at my church about 7 months ago and I was talking to the assistant pastors wife who has become such an amazing mentor in my life. She had been through all the same things I have regarding addiction and she said something to me that really stuck out in my head. She told me "you have made drugs your god". When I first heard this I laughed because I thought it was crazy to say that. I didn't bow down and worship them, I wasn't outwardly praising them .. or was I? That phrase didn't leave my mind and I thought about it alot and I realized that yes, drugs were my god. They were the absolute center of my life. Every thought that crossed my mind pertained to them. The first thing I did every single morning was go directly to them and If i didn't have any I felt like I would die and then my whole day would be about how to get more. Like the verse says, I was a slave to them and it was leading me down the path of darkness and death. I worshipped them in other ways, giving up everything I had, pushing everyone out of my life, selling all my belongings and revolving my entire life around them. It made me into a different person. I would do anything to get them. All my morals and self worth went out the window. I was a liar, a thief and I was downright miserable. Looking back I can see so clearly the hold that this sin had over my life and it literally scares me to think about it.
Now those chains have been broken. I have been set free from that and I have made God the center of my life. Verse 18 says, "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Now I live a life full of joy and happiness. It is a complete 180 from how I used to be.
Verses 21 and 22 of this chapter stuck out to me as well, its says "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life". All I did back in those days was fall deeper and deeper into darkness and misery and I made everyone around me miserable. But now with Jesus as my center I am able to radiate His light and His love and spread His joy and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.
Application:
Today I will write down everyone that was involved in that lifestyle with me that are still slaves to addiction. I will go through the list and pray for each one of them individually.
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