“O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me.”  (Psalm 30:2; NASB)

According to the CDC, there were 63,632 deaths due to drug overdoses in 2016. That number was 21% higher than 2015. That one-year death toll is higher than the entire Vietnam war. The 2017 number, although not yet confirmed, is expected to be even higher. The opioid crisis in recent years continues to drive that number up, thus drawing increased attention on addiction from mainstream media, resulting in more awareness throughout our society. Although that attention is welcome and needed, it is not just opioid use (pain medication, heroin, etc.), that is a problem.

Addiction is a societal problem that has been increasing yearly for decades. Opiate addiction is just one part of the problem. Other substances such as alcohol, methamphetamines, powdered and crack cocaine, and ecstasy, (just to name a few) have been a tremendous problem as well. Then we have behavioral issues such as pornography, video games, and social media that continue to increase daily. Any activity that someone does compulsively to escape the realities and responsibilities of life can be considered an addiction, and therefore, a problem. (That includes marijuana, but that’s a discussion for another time) The good news is that through Christ, healing and freedom from anything that takes us away from our God-given purpose is possible.

At Open Homes, although we focus on drug and alcohol addiction, we see compulsive behavior in many other areas as well. It is the desired escape that is the problem. The method of escape is secondary to the addict’s perceived need to insulate themselves from their fears. It is not enough to simply abstain from the desired substance or activity. It takes healing of the root that causes the need to escape. God will provide that healing when we cry out to him.

Please pray for our ministry and our leaders to stand strong in this battlefield. Also pray for all those who need to be healed of this horrible affliction. It truly is a battle that God wants to help us with if we cry out to him for His grace and mercy. Together our prayers can move the Lord to change the downward spiral of addiction and bring healing to those who call on His Name.

Have a great week and God bless.