It's Giving...Idol.Sample

DAY 9: COPING HABITS - DRINKING, SMOKING, PORN, SEX, WITCHCRAFT/NEW-AGE; The Universe, Yoga, Meditation, Astrology, Tarot, Crystals, Psychics.

At some point in my life, I was heavily into most, if not all, of the above. This is not a condemnation session. It’s just me stating the facts. The reality of the world we live in is that we are all, in some way, trying to cope. So, how did I go from drinking wine every night (by the bottle) to 3+ years completely sober? How did I go from being a self-proclaimed expert on zodiac signs, horoscopes, and astrology to relying solely on God’s power to give me a future and hope? NOTHING ELSE WORKED. Nothing I tried using in place of seeking God ever lasted longer than 24 hours. Not the bottles, not the sex, not the people. NOTHING.

All of the inanimate objects or substances I idolized just left me needing MORE. Every time I danced with those demons (now I know that’s what they were), I experienced sleep paralysis, as well as attacks on my mind and body. I remember getting deep into tarot readings and the further away I chose to walk from God (because it was my choice), the closer I got to depression, fear, anxiety, and my spiritual and physical death. I could serve the world so easily, but serving the One who made me was just “too hard.” I didn’t see the benefit when I could just ‘survive’ or ‘cope’.

In Luke 4:8, 'Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’

The feelings I felt while trying to cope on my own were not God’s plan or destination for me. So, what is His plan if all I’m doing is trying to get by day-to-day and trying to cope? It’s God’s heart that we STOP TRYING TO DO IT ALL ALONE and encounter Jesus. How? Humble yourself and ASK HIM. I hit the absolute rock bottom and still waited to fully seek God. I look back and ask myself what I was really afraid of. I had let the world tell me what to do EVERY SINGLE DAY, but letting God do the same was ‘too drastic’. I didn’t want to be the fake version of what I saw in church. I WANTED AUTHENTICITY. I wanted freedom from the chains in my life.

So why not BE AUTHENTIC? Today, I tell my very transparent testimony because I know what God can do with the BIGGEST SINNER…ME.

My life is proof that there is no substitute for seeking the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Check out this song ,“Joy In My Drink” by Marcus Rogers.

(video credit - YouTube: @marcusrogerschildoftheking)