Today, since I have finished A Praying Life and I really like to always be reading some type of non-fiction book- I picked up a book called Redemption by Mike Wilkerson. My husband recently went to a conference on prayer where he got a ton of free books so I've been just reading through them. Anyways, I have only read the introduction to this book but it just makes me smile. I had NO idea what it was about but wouldn't you know, it's about the Israelites journey out of Egypt (suffering and idolatry) into the wilderness and how Jesus can use a wilderness experience to redeem and heal us. How can I deny the working of God in my life when He is so clearly speaking the same themes to me over and over again? I love Him. I'm smiling thinking of how He must love me so much to keep talking to me about the same things that I need to know.

I just read the introduction and it's already changing me. I have been reading a lot about addiction and abuse and things of that nature lately anyways. I know, not really light bedtime reading but that's what I've been drawn to learn about. I feel like it's a topic that is so prevalent in the church and I need to be more informed. However, what I've read so far in the introduction to Redemption is a refreshing change. It sounds like he is saying that all addiction is at its root idolatry. So getting rid of an addiction to alcohol only to replace it with an addiction to sobriety is still idolatry. It's still placing the addiction or lack thereof at the center rather than Christ. That really speaks to me. I am by no means the expert on addictions but I know what it's like to be enslaved and I know what it's like to be set free and I have been a bit confused by all the advice to continue talking about the addiction and continue to focus on it every day so that you don't slip back into the same addictive behaviors. I've read that everywhere- in all sorts of Christian and non-christian literature. They are the same. There is not a huge difference between a lot of what I've read that is written from a Christian perspective on overcoming addiction and a worldy perspective. It sounds like the main theory is that to overcome addiction, you need to constantly focus on yourself and where you are in relation to the addiction. It's felt wrong to me but since I'm not an expert, I've just thought - Well, what do I know- that must be the right advice- but I thought that I sure wouldn't want to keep thinking about my captor, you know? I want to be looking only at the One who set me free- not the pit He took me out of-

 I guess I feel affirmed in my belief that there is something a bit off in the focus on addiction and lack of addiction. Anything, good or bad, that takes the place of Jesus at the center is idolatry. It doesn't matter if I'm focusing on how I haven't been enslaved today to whatever thing I tend to worship, that's still focusing on me and not looking at Jesus. This is definitely something I need to ponder some more. And of course, I should read past the introduction of the book before I just make broad statements ;) But this is mostly my thoughts, I just used a little of the book to jumpstart my thought process. It's something I had already been thinking about for a couple weeks so I'm interested to see where the book goes and I just love to read about how Jesus sets us free anyways. I'm excited to read it :)

I'm not saying here that some practical steps to avoid temptations and addictions are wrong. That would be silly of me to say. In case anyone heard that, that wasn't what I intended. I just think the best way to stay free from sin is to keep in step with the Spirit. How can I give in to temptation when I am walking the path the Spirit of God has laid out for me, you know? I would think that if I find myself constantly struggling and constantly giving in to sin, perhaps I am not walking close enough to God.

Well, I'll let you know how the book turns out. I really do just love to see how God is leading me directly through a study on slavery, idolatry, and the wilderness. It's not like I have sought this out really but it seems obvious that this is something God wants me to learn. It took me about a year to realize that there is a theme... I guess I'm not too quick. But now that I'm paying attention, I'm excited to see where God will take me.