God and Alcoholism: What Role Does Faith Play in Sobriety?

Do you believe in God? If so, what role should your faith play as you strive toward cutting back on your alcohol consumption? Is it best to completely rely on a Supreme Being to give you the strength to overcome your addiction? Or, is this mindset somehow enabling you to continue in your addiction, as you pawn off the responsibility to control yourself to Someone else?

Alcoholic's Anonymous, for instance, is of the mindset that only the power of God can conquer your addiction. Step #1 lays the foundation: "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable." The other steps outline exactly Who will be ultimately responsible for whether or not you avoid alcohol.

According to AA, only God CAN help you beat alcoholism, and only IF you completely surrender to His will. You, on the other hand, are powerless before your addiction. It is stronger than you are, and you can't do anything about it.

The tragedy of this approach is that it actually becomes easier to drink alcohol when you abdicate responsibility for your own actions, because it's simply no longer "your fault" if you give in to temptation. In fact, those who have attended AA meetings admit to this being AA's "dirty little secret."

That is, it's commonplace for members to go out drinking immediately after their meeting, even though they truly want to be sober, and even though they may have just listened to an hour or more of how alcoholism has destroyed the lives of those in their group.

Why would they do this? First, they've come to believe that they are completely powerless before their addiction. Secondly, they've come to believe that God is the only one who can provide the strength to overcome their addiction. Thirdly, since the first two beliefs are "true", they no longer need to look inside themselves for the solution to their problem.

So, since it's no longer their responsibility to find the willpower to resist drinking, they are free to go back to their daily routine - which is drinking and getting drunk. The bottom line is, in their minds, that they will stop drinking as soon as God gives them the strength to stop drinking. In the meantime, there's no sense trying, is there?

You ALREADY Have the Inner Strength to Overcome Alcoholism

Don't let yourself get caught up in this belief system, as YOU are the one who needs to control your actions and build your willpower. Your Creator has blessed you with an amazing mind, along with the willpower to accomplish anything you set your sights upon.

The truth is that you should seek God's help in overcoming any major problem you face in life, obviously including alcoholism. But DON'T just continue in you daily ways while you are waiting on God to help you. You still need to be proactive and change the habits of your life as best you are able. Seek God's help, but don't expect Him to do all the work.

Remember, God helps those who help themselves. So, when you feel the need, ask God to help you overcome your addiction. Ask ten times a day, if you have to. Just don't forget to help yourself, too, by resisting the urge to abuse alcohol as best you are able.

And here's the BEST news of all: your Creator has ALREADY GIVEN YOU all the willpower, resolve and personal strength necessary to overcome any of life's problems - including alcoholism. You already have been given the strength to overcome your addiction!

The SOONER you look inside of yourself for that personal power, and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your own actions, the sooner you will be on the road to true health and true happiness.