Let me give a brief description of my walk with God:
I was a full blown opiate addict...Started using alcohol at my senior prom and drugs(marajuana) at age 19.
I am currently 40 years old as of Dec. 30th 2018. I graduated to oxycodone around 30 and it progressed to age 38 and the prescribed dosage of 300mgs. a day from a doctor BUT, that wasn't enough for me. I bought an additional 90-120mg to sustain me for a day....Crazy, I know. I thank God I am still breathing....I tried so many times to stop ON MY OWN, but failed time and time again being unable to get past the absolutely viscous (hell on earth) withdrawals that come with it....My cold turkey stopping resulted in 7 days of NO sleep whatsoever. My doctor called me a liar but my mother saw it first hand. On day 8 I slept but returned to the pills.
Enough about my history. Anyone who cares to hear more on this in depth topic feel free to ask. I know the path I submitted to to be saved from it.
Anyways:
It has been about 1 1/2 years since I left the rehab facility and without fail, I have constantly seen God show me that he is right by my side, EVERY day.....It almost seems stupid for me to ask for a little help from some others who may know scripture better than me but if there is any verse that can help me in my area, I would be appreciative.
I know that I am not supposed to get weary in well doing and I have not quit the fight, believe me. I get on my knees everyday and start my day the same. I almost died and know that everyday is like I am in overtime in my life and I pray it goes on a lot longer than football and hockeys overtime.
My only struggle is, I have always been an impatient person and and I subconsciously tap my foot without conscious thought.....It is not that this uncomfortable feeling is something that makes me believe that the long path from addiction was the wrong one, it is just I wonder what is the best way to deal with impatience... I absolutely believe that good times are ahead, I just struggle with uncomfortable impatience at certain times....Not all! Maybe 25% of a weeks time.
Any scripture guidance I would appreciate.
Thanks
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
We should be patient in tribulation, and that can be trying to overcome an addiction we might of had as well.
But we will be tempted in whatever we liked to do while we were in the world, so buckle up, and grin and bear it, for you will be tempted by it for you liked doing it in the world.
If we did not like to do it in the world, then we should not be tempted by it when living for God, and there is some things we are not tempted with when living for God, because we did not like it while in the world.
That is why we might have a hard time with giving up our wants, and loving money, and material things for our wants, especially in America, for we liked those things in the world, which is the vast vast majority, the same as liked sexual tendencies which is the vast vast majority, hopefully from the opposite sex, but who knows in today's world, so we will be tempted by those 2 big sins which is the vast vast majority.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Does not mean Paul was sinning, but you will be tempted.
There is no escaping it even when living for the Lord, but the Lord can reduce the temptation that is upon you drastically so you can bear it, so you might be tempted but it is only like a one year old tugging at your sleeve, for sure it can be annoying, but you can endure it, and God will give you an escape from the temptation.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The truth is there is no struggling with sin, but only not submitting to the Spirit, and if a person does engage in sin it is because they want the sin not because they cannot abstain from the sin, for if a person hates sin, and does not want sin, by the Spirit they can abstain from sin.
But we cannot escape temptation, and temptation is not a sin, for Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
2Co 6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
2Co 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2Co 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Whether it is inner with a temptation, or outer with persecution from the world, the saints might go through trouble, and whatever we liked doing in the world that is what we will be tempted with living for God, and you cannot escape it, although you can reduce the pull of the temptation on you by submitting to the Spirit hating sin.
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
Also the temptation can cause us to rely on God more for we want Him to deliver us from it, which today many people are not relying on God because technology has caused money, and material things to flow like a raging river, so people are not depending on God as much, as they heap those things to themselves, instead of going by their needs, and helping the poor as God wants them to do.
We do not like temptation, but it can cause us to rely on God to deliver us from it, but we cannot escape temptation for we are still in the flesh, and Paul said there is no good thing that dwells in the flesh, even when living for God for the flesh never changes, but with the mind we serve Christ.
I might get tempted to lust after a woman, but I do not get tempted with homosexuality, for I did not like it in the world, and I might get tempted with alcohol, but I will not get tempted with hard drugs, for I did not like it in the world, and I might get tempted to enjoy my wants in a little area, but I would not get tempted to want to be rich for myself, for I did not like that level of greediness while in the world.
Whatever we liked to do while in the world we will be tempted with it when living for God, but that could only go on for so long, and then we might not notice it hardly at all, but only a thought in our head, but no pull on us, for even the world when they abstain from drugs it will become less and less noticeable to them the temptation of it, so how much more with God by the Spirit.
So be patient and rely on God and let Him reduce the pull of the temptation on you, for what will your impatience accomplish, nothing but adding unto the problem making it worse of something that is going to happen, temptation that you do not want, and you cannot beat off your mind.
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Loss of interest, question, wonder.
It is like people that have a problem on their mind, or OCD, and they wonder why, and want to figure it out, which only adds to the problem, for they cannot figure it out, and there is only one solution, let it go and move on, for there is nothing to figure out, but your worrying over things boggling your mind, causing stress which they say people that have OCD have stress, which as long as you do not offend people, and do not offend God you are alright.
My pastor said he almost let temptations beat him, for we want to be so perfect, and think we can be so perfect, that we do not want to be tempted, and wonder why we are tempted so much living for the Lord, but do not let it bother you for you will be tempted, as well as all people that live for the Lord.
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.