Are there addictions in life that we justify? ….and that even in our Christian circles we consider to be OK and safe and even normal? A “white addiction?”

An addiction to chocolate, or candy, or sugar in general….

An addiction to comfort foods…

An addiction to soda, especially Diet Coke…

An addiction to video games…

An addiction to Facebook… (Gasp!), or Pinterest!

An addiction to television shows, Netflix, movies…

A coffee addiction…

An addiction to the approval of others…

I could go on, but go ahead and insert here what you, yourself, have been addicted to. I’ve been addicted to each and every one of these ….no, wait, I haven’t… ha! not video games!! But the rest? Definitely, and I’m sure I could name some more.

And looking back I see a pattern – the height of these addictions was always during seasons I was not happy….seasons I was experiencing pain…seasons I was trying to avoid my present life…seasons I was running away. Sure I never left physically…but I ran away mentally and emotionally many times.

I was reflecting this evening on just how different my life feels right now….on the outside it probably doesn’t look much different… I still have 7 kids…I still homeschool…I still live in the same home, drive the same cars…. But I feel different. Yes my health has made a drastic turnaround, but more than that. “White addictions seem to be dropping off more and more….” Why? What is causing them to fall to the wayside one by one? It’s that I have purpose again…passion again…dreams again…mental clarity again…balance…

I don’t know why I have all this on my heart to share with you. But if my transparency will bless one person, it’s worth it.

Are you addicted? What are the “white addictions” in your life? Are you hooked on watching TV to live vicariously through what you see on the screen rather than live out your dreams in real life? Are you addicted to comfort foods? When experiencing pain do you run to the fridge? What are you running from? What are you trying to escape from?

There’s more to life than what you are currently experiencing. God has a plan, a great plan! A life for you that you will enjoy living. A life full of dreams and possibilities. A life you will not need to run away from. It may not always be easy, but it will definitely be worth it.

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” Ephesians 3:20