Trouble with Alcohol

Hey, I just need some prayers for the Holy Spirit's strength in my walk. Resisting my Vice has become a lot harder lately. You see, I've been aware of it for a while now, but it's been getting a lot scarier lately... I have a definite stress-drinking problem. I use alcohol as a crutch for worry and the pressure of life. I won't try to defend the habit because I know it's not a good one, and I won't try to excuse it's gravity, but I just really need some Godly support right now.

I've been cutting back lately in an effort to lean on the One, rather than drugging myself out on an ethanol-ansethesia. The fact is, I have no one to blame but myself for this. I knew I shouldn't have done this, but now it's become an obsession and a compulsive habit. The turning point was where, in fear, I decided to take a look on the Alcoholic's Anonymous website and take their questionnaire for determining how badly alcohol has become an issue. I was shocked to discover that, by their standards, I might as well be a rising alcoholic by now!...

This needs to stop. Please don't condemn me in my sinfulness. I need prayers and encouragement more than anything else. Fortunately, this hasn't hurt my life in any permanent way yet, but I want to stop it in it's tracks before it does.

The good news is (praise the Lord for this!), so far my shot at Temperance has been working very well. Now if I could only stop thinking about Beer...

Anybody who's suffered what I'm going through got any thoughts/helpful advice? Anybody got anything that can help me here?

John 8:36. It will be 10 years in October since I last had a beer.

You should consider going to the al anon meetings, for the extra support.

Addiction is difficult, but not impossible to overcome

What is it that's stressing you out brother? If it's too personal, that's completely fine, but is this stressor something that you can change, or receive assistance with?

You should try to see if you can go to the AA meetings,you are in my prayers,in Jesus name,Amen.

Amen, sister blondieindahouse! I would also encourage you to find a support group like AA, Elijah. There's certainly strength in numbers. Being surrounded by people who understand is much better than suffering alone.

I pray Lord God that our precious brother Elijah would be set free of condemnation. I ask that he be given eyes of Your wisdom to recognize the false perceptions of the flesh when he grows weary & restless. By Your Holy Spirit, I ask that Elijah be fully aware that he is set free in You and that he find peace and rest in your leading him out of this wilderness day by day. May he find wise counseling at an awesome support group and kind friends to encourage him. Be glorified in our young brother's life, Almighty God! We thank You for him and the courageous sharing of his trials. Bless our dear brother and keep him in grace & joy & peace, Lord Jesus!!

There are a number of things that have been getting me down lately. My life has been tasting stagnant and lonely, and I shouldn't say that because of all the good I have. Even though I have been blessed by God in so many ways, and do not overlook what He has done for me, the fact still remains that there is dysfunction. I have watched as some of my dreams have begun to die, and I have watched as the fruits of my honest labor dangle far off and seem unreachable. My father and me have had some fights and I am so sorry for being disrespectful to him. I don't know why I feel so angry with him all the time. This is none of his fault, only mine. I am so SO sorry to God that I feel so unsatisfied. He has done nothing but bless me, and I have sinned so much. I am so angry with myself. But I feel useless because I cannot work when work has been denied to me. If only I could work and find a place to apply myself, I wouldn't feel so naked. The place (church) where I worship has decided to end the ministry in which I served, and I don't have a job right now. I would love to get married and become a good father (which is my greatest dream), but so far I can't even get a girlfriend or even a friend friend except the ones closest to me. The only friends besides family I do have are distant from me right now.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and ask if your parents (particularly your father) were excessively lenient with you? I was just wondering if maybe your parents didn't set strict enough guidelines for you and enforce discipline in your life. Often when we don't have clearly defined rules in our life as a child, it seems life has no real direction and leaves us feeling like a hamster in a wheel with nobody really in control or nobody to really answer to. It also makes us feel our parents didn't care enough about us to help guide us on the right path. That may be why you're angry at your father. Might that be the case, Elijah?

Lord please hear this prayers of Elijah19 and bless , Lord we pray and agree, in Jesus gracious name, Amen!

Dear brother, I´d never condemn you or anyone. All I want is that the Lord may help you with your problem!

I´m praying for you! May God bless you!

I'll pray!

It wasn't a lack of discipline from Dad that brought me here, it was a lack of my own discipline. I don't think the fault here can lie with anyone except myself. I have to own up to my own mistakes. The trouble with my father, more than anything else, is more due to male competition than anything else. I want to try and establish myself more, and my father feels I need more guidance. Neither one of us is probably wrong about what we believe regarding my development, but it makes it awkward when the son wants to do his own thing and the father wants to be protectively controlling...

You are young yet.Everything isnt going to work out right away.Marriage,a career,respect from your father,all these things take time.I was in my 40s when I got engaged,got married a year ago.Im still finding my footing and my place.My father never thought I could be married and be a wife,my whole family didnt for that matter.Now he is starting to respect me and actually tell me he loves me because he thought I was too weak to take over a house and be a wife.

Im just saying that it takes time to mature and for people around you to see that and respect you.It takes time to find a worthy mate.It takes time to find a stable career.Maybe you are expecting too much too soon? Maybe you need to talk to your father and tell him how you feel,calmly.We all fail.You need to surround yourself with Christian friends and talk to your pastor about your struggle with alcohol.Also AA has helped many as others have said.My uncle died from alcoholism so get it under control now,while you are young.

This is sound advice. Elijah, may I suggest you listen to it. Kaylagrl has double the experience you have. I the more. Please take seriously her thoughts on the matter.

You know, you really are a wonderful person, Kaylagirl. Every time I ever read something you post, it makes me smile. I see Jesus in you. Thanks for the Advice.

Hey brother. I know addiction can be such a real pain.. Continue to hang in there. What I was going to say has pretty much been said. But know you are not alone. There are others your age and even older that have been going through. Addiction will always be a struggle, unfortunately. But find someone at AA meeting or something like a CCelebrate Recovery at a church if it has it, and try to get to know someone older that has been through it. Having someone to help you along the way definitely helps a lot. I am praying for you, brother!

Vices. We've all got them. Praying for strength and discernment for you, Elijah.

I have the same problem,the way i dealt with it was to get deep into prayer and discipline myself.i read and researched on how to pray and to listen sermons by ,spurgeon,billy graham,anyone and everyone.i went to AA and learned alot from them which helped alot. It really worked and God blessed my life in a huge way.the first three months are tough but then it gets easier.once you stop you must never ever go back to it.

Elijah, I've been in a similar situation, and seen relatives of mine go even further down that path. I know how powerful the cravings can be, but you have strength in you.

In regards to finding a wife, and starting a family, that is one of my greatest wishes too, but alas, I am not in a position where I could support one, and I haven't met the right woman yet.

But things change, and through faith in God, and the force of will to work towards it, I know you can do what you set your mind to. You just have to keep trying. We all make mistakes, relapses, but you can't beat yourself up over it. That'll only bring about a cycle of depression. Trust in God, trust in Christ, trust in your friends and family. They will be your salvation.