My friend has been on the streets for many years and homeless (somewhat voluntarily - hard to explain here) for over 7 years. We were praying for the longest time for her to get off of drugs and she's been trying with short spurts here and there. She was off heroin for 3-4 months while using methodone as a substitution. The cravings and depression got worse and eventually she succumbed to the old life. She's been off the streets & staying with a relative for about 1-2 months now, but something's been telling me to not focus on her getting free from her addiction anymore but instead to focus on her relationship with Christ first. Perhaps, as un-PC as this sounds, God hasn't removed her addiction for the sole purpose of her husband's possibly coming to know and follow Christ as well. He grew up in a drug-addicted family. He started smoking pot in elementary school. None of them knew Christ. Few drug-addicted, homeless people know Christ. My friend has found a few Christians in that world. They find out who is Christian through conversation. Those are the people who have been most trust-worthy too, not cheating others out of money and trying to watch out for others who are even more defenseless than themselves.

 

As far as I can tell, I've been the only person to tell my friend that even though she is addicted to drugs and even though there is a possibility she may be back on the streets, if she has a relationship with Christ, then she is saved... even if she can never get free of drugs. Other people have either told her directly (or she interpreted from their message) that if she isn't off of drugs then she might not have Christ in her life.

 

I explained that it's not the drugs that determines her salvation, but the motivation behind the drugs....the heart. (I hope I'm right...) Some people try to trick others to use other more-addictive drugs to increase their number of clients. Others pan-handle and lie that they will work for food in order to get money to buy drugs to prevent getting horribly sick from withdrawls (headaches, vomiting, seizures, etc... it's the fear of these physical effects as well as the fear of facing reality that drives them back to the drugs). They don't lie specifically to be vindictive... but they lie to prevent further pain.

 

I write this so that we all can gain a further understanding of that world. There's horrible stuff that goes on in that world. I think it's important for us to know this stuff so we can know how to reach out to people in this predicament.

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But for me it's hard to say exactly which addictions are compatible or incompatible with a faith in Christ. That's why I think instead of telling someone that their addiction is an indicator that they aren't really Christian (I'd never tell someone that anyway... I'm in no position to), all I can tell them is to first focus on getting to know Christ and aim to follow him in the best way they can (focusing on the heart). And their "best way" is certainly going to be different to some degree from my ideal "best way".

 

(And speaking about addictions... yes, I'm a horrible food addict. I can't go without food for much longer than about a month. Especially chocolate.)

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Post Edited (Violin for God) : 9/3/2007 11:46:58 AM (GMT-5)