Understanding where God fits in to addiction can be confusing for many people. It is the nature of addiction to replace God in importance in the addict’s life, or to elevate their addiction to a god-like status. When their addiction fails them and proves detrimental to their life, some people hold God responsible for the pain addiction caused them. Clearly, the role God plays in addiction is widely misinterpreted.

The truth about God and addiction is the same truth found in every painful life circumstance: God will not do away with it because that would be inhibiting our free will. God’s careful design of our human condition includes the necessity of our free will, either to obey him or to obey our own desires. God commands us through his holy word to obey his direction, not for his benefit, but for ours. We do not have the foresight, scope, strength or wisdom to control our lives. We were created to submit control to our creator. Those who succeed in this lead lives of incredible peace and reward. Those who do not lead lives of frustration and despair. It does not matter if our good fortune is rich or poor; it matters that we are in accordance with God’s will, because it is mankind’s intended form of existence.

Having a church family to lean on while recovering from addiction can greatly influence the way a person perceives God, thus influencing their addiction recovery as well. Many people who have experienced success in their recovery from addiction have a strong relationship with God and with a church community. This has proven to be an incredibly positive influence.

Canadians who are struggling with addiction and need a church family to surround them and pray for them in the midst of their trials can find churches in Edmonton, Toronto, Mississauga, Vancouver and virtually every sanctioned Canadian city.

To learn more, go to http://www.edmontonchurch.org/