Day 86

What Is Your Addiction Or Stronghold?

"The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in Him" Nahum 1:7.

The definition of an addict is:  "To apply or devote oneself persistently or habitually; to cause to pursue or practice continuously; one who is addicted to some habit, especially to the use of narcotic drugs.  Accustomed; inclined to the pursuit, practice, or taking of anything.  One is addicted to that which he has allowed to gain a strong habitual, enduring hold on him" (Funk and Wagnalls).

We all tend to think of those who use substances of some kind to be addicted but this definition seems to apply to us all in one way or another.  We may be addicted to our job, a hobby, a sport, a relationship, a food or drink, to luxury, television, or any number of others.  So what is your addiction"  What have you allowed to have a strong, habitual, enduring hold on you?  A stronghold is an incorrect thinking pattern that has molded itself into our way of thinking.  What do you think on the majority of the time?

Some habits are good things but as we take inventory we may discover that we have developed practices that are destructive to our minds and our bodies.  We might just need to lay them down.  After all some of the things we think on are just stinking thinking.

If your focus is on anything more than it is on God and developing that relationship with Him then you might need to put things in your life in the proper order; God first.

One example for me was that years ago God convicted me of reading romance or mystery novels.  Whenever I started reading one I found everything else took a back seat.  I pretty much couldn't put the book down till I found out what happened in the end.  I was addicted and convicted.  What did they profit me anyway?  They didn't educate me or cause me to grow in my spiritual walk. At that point I laid them down never to read them again and that has been over twenty years ago.  

What things might you devote yourself to persistently or habitually?  Do they benefit you in any way or do they keep you from being in proper relationship with the Lord?   Do they draw you closer to God or benefit your character?   Make God the strong hold of your life today and put all others aside.