The Devil doesn't let go

[Spiderman]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

A seemingly good Christian who goes to Christ centered recovery meetings and seems to be an intelligent man of integrity (who I trusted) invites me to his place to "talk", then whips out a bag of meth. Earlier he knocked on my door to offer oxycodone.

This was a day after someone else did the exact same thing.

At this time I can't work with my sponsor (who was very helpful during temptations) because he's busy with responsibilities and caring for a loved one who might be dying.

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

 

[Revoltingest]

It could be God testing your strength & faith.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Life is full of temptations. Stay strong. Carry Rosary beads around to remind yourself of God and distract yourself.

 

[ChristineM]

Don't give in. You are doing great.

 

[sun rise]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

It could be God testing your strength & faith.

In my understanding it's not God testing you but the way life works. Everything new and that includes a personal change automatically causes a reaction. It is Newton's Third Law applied to the personal level. That law is true on the physical level. It's true on the biological level in the sense of Darwinian evolution, survival of the fittest. And it applies on the psychological and spiritual levels as well.

In the East, that oppositional force is called "Maya" by some.

 

[Revoltingest]

In my understanding it's not God testing you but the way life works. Everything new and that includes a personal change automatically causes a reaction. It is Newton's Third Law applied to the personal level. That law is true on the physical level. It's true on the biological level in the sense of Darwinian evolution, survival of the fittest. And it applies on the psychological and spiritual levels as well.

In the East, that oppositional force is called "Maya" by some.

My foma.....
Stuff happens.
We deal with it.
It can be easy or difficult.
So it goes.
The OP should leave his granfalloon.

 

[stvdv]

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

Holding on to the belief that the Devil exists and has power over you is not the smartest move in my opinion. It's like "1+1=2"

There is 1 problem "People holding onto the Devil". Let go of the Devil and you "have to take your own responsibility"
(I never went to AA meetings, but I can imagine "take responsibility is number x rule")

I believe that is the only way to kick addictions. Take responsibility, don't blame the Devil. That's the opposite.

Of course you are free to believe whatever you like "the more Devils the merrier" .. if you believe so

Whoever invented the "Devil concept" was a smart guy, he knew exactly how to trigger your weakness.

I have never believed in the Devil, even not as a child if I remember correctly. I did not believe the priest

 

[Dawnofhope]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

A seemingly good Christian who goes to Christ centered recovery meetings and seems to be an intelligent man of integrity (who I trusted) invites me to his place to "talk", then whips out a bag of meth. Earlier he knocked on my door to offer oxycodone.

This was a day after someone else did the exact same thing.

At this time I can't work with my sponsor (who was very helpful during temptations) because he's busy with responsibilities and caring for a loved one who might be dying.

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

Many of us have addictions to something....coffee, food, the internet, TV who knows. So there are things that take us away from what we should be doing in life. Then there's the struggle against inertia and apathy to do the right thing. Some addictions of course are more destructive and render us less able to meaningfully engage in our responsibilities in life.

Whatever our belief or religion we need to have a narrative about life and who we are that makes sense and truly empowers us to do the right thing. The problem with a belief if the Devil is we externalise our problems. One of the key steps to any recovery is taking responsibility.

When that trusted Christian guy pulls out the bag of meth he's no longer that trusted Christian guy. You need to politely but firmly say "No thank you" and decline to have him in your home again along with anyone else who is likely to offer you drugs.

At the end of the day we are ultimately responsible for one life and one life only and that is our own. God is there to help I have no doubt. How can God help if we don't help ourselves and blame others including the devil?

 

[stvdv]

It could be God testing your strength & faith.

If you have atoms, it's hard to pull out the electrons or protons.
The same with our desires. The moment we want to give up a desire, our EGO triples in power
That is why evolution goes so slow. The "Addiction Force" is like "Gravitation Force" very hard to escape

The good thing is that you can realize what an enormous power there is in you
If you direct this power to something useful, magic can happen
Sometimes a robber can become a Saint or inventer

 

[Firemorphic]

There is 1 problem "People holding onto the Devil". Let go of the Devil and you "have to take your own responsibility"
(I never went to AA meetings, but I can imagine "take responsibility is number x rule")

Taking self-responsibility is one of the biggest middle fingers to Satan

 

[SalixIncendium]

It has nothing to do the Devil, PAD. Temptations are forever around us. Either it's free or we have made enough money to buy it. It is not for others to recognize our addictive personalities. The onus is on us to resist the temptation to partake.

Consider it a test or don't. But consider this...

You will never know your importance to the vitality of another. I hired someone who was in a sober house who I thought was one of the most amazing people I ever met. She had beautiful insights into the world and into life itself. She was who I looked forward to seeing each day when I came to work.

She relapsed one day with some laced product and lost her life. I can still see her face in my mind, as well as the joy she brought me every day, but I know in time, these memories will fade. Every time I think about it, I think about what I'm missing in my life and what the world is missing since she left this reality.

Some days you will find the strength to overcome, and others you may not. But on the days you find yourself powerless, think about those whose lives you touched who look forward to your words every day.



“Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.” ~ Don Miguel Ruiz

 

[Jollybear]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

A seemingly good Christian who goes to Christ centered recovery meetings and seems to be an intelligent man of integrity (who I trusted) invites me to his place to "talk", then whips out a bag of meth. Earlier he knocked on my door to offer oxycodone.

This was a day after someone else did the exact same thing.

At this time I can't work with my sponsor (who was very helpful during temptations) because he's busy with responsibilities and caring for a loved one who might be dying.

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

Ive found the best thing to overcome temptations is to NOT try to overcome it, lol. What i mean by that is this: if you FOCUS on overcoming it, then it gains energy and power through that focus. So, it then overcomes you.

The way to overcome it, is FOCUS on something else. Get busy doing something that takes up your time and keeps your mind busy and off the temptation and on the other thing.

I seen this movie once. There was a planet in space, and it was a demon planet. The more the humans shot missiles at it, the stronger it got. They finally realized how to make it weaker. Stop shooting at it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

seen this movie once. There was a planet in space, and it was a demon planet. The more the humans shot missiles at it, the stronger it got. They finally realized how to make it weaker. Stop shooting at it.

The Fifth Element?

 

[Jollybear]

The Fifth Element?

It may have been. I cant remember the name of the movie. But i do remember it had that part in it about the demon planet and it got stronger by shooting at it.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

It may have been. I cant remember the name of the movie. But i do remember it had that part in it about the demon planet and it got stronger by shooting at it.

Sounds like it. One of my favorites.

 

[Salvador]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

A seemingly good Christian who goes to Christ centered recovery meetings and seems to be an intelligent man of integrity (who I trusted) invites me to his place to "talk", then whips out a bag of meth. Earlier he knocked on my door to offer oxycodone.

This was a day after someone else did the exact same thing.

At this time I can't work with my sponsor (who was very helpful during temptations) because he's busy with responsibilities and caring for a loved one who might be dying.

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

Sometimes a man needs to grab the Devil by the horns and make this demon blow on the man's very own trombone ...

 

[stvdv]

Taking self-responsibility is one of the biggest middle fingers to Satan

Even using "the big middle finger" means you allowed anger (one can call it satan) into you. I am not a fan of "the big middle finger" use, ever.

 

[dfnj]

Have you ever noticed that when you're trying to break an addiction or vice, people start showing up with free stuff or whatever to tempt or enable you in your depravity, or sometimes triggers suddenly show up abundantly from unexpected people, scenarios, and places to ensnare you?

A seemingly good Christian who goes to Christ centered recovery meetings and seems to be an intelligent man of integrity (who I trusted) invites me to his place to "talk", then whips out a bag of meth. Earlier he knocked on my door to offer oxycodone.

This was a day after someone else did the exact same thing.

At this time I can't work with my sponsor (who was very helpful during temptations) because he's busy with responsibilities and caring for a loved one who might be dying.

WTF is going on?! I guess it's a test of some sort. Assuming there is a Devil, he certainly plays on people's weaknesses, unfortunate circumstances, poor judgment, fears, and faults. And he doesn't **** off when I tell him to.

People with additions see their vice as the only way to get their own basic human needs met. People need to learn new habits on how to get their needs met to replace their old vice with newer healthier behaviors. Unfortunately, helping people get their own basic human needs met whether they are spiritual, psychological, or physical is simply not a priority with the people who have the power to change it.

 

[Spiderman]

Okay, the Devil had nothing to do with it. It just seems that whenever I'm sincere about staying free of certain dangerous habits, temptations start showing up in abundance. They are worse this week than they have been in quite a few years.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Okay, the Devil had nothing to do with it. It just seems that whenever I'm sincere about staying free of certain dangerous habits, temptations start showing up in abundance. They are worse this week than they have been in quite a few years.

A big part of your problem will be your social setting. Far too often addicts have friends that are addicts. That unfortunately makes it much easier to fail by using again. Some addicts are threatened by those that are quitting and will actively try to counter that person's recovery.

You won't be able to change your social situation over night, but it would be a good idea to try to cultivate relationships with those that are not addicted. That will be hard considering your economic situation, but it will help.