hopequest blog

When Prayer Doesn’t Fix Addiction

Being clinically effective and Christ centered has it’s challenges.  Not from being effective in our approach to treating people held captive by addiction, but by the perception of Christians at times that more spiritual focus and more spiritual discipline is the sole answer to the problem.  Sometimes prayer doesn’t fix addiction.  Most of the time, it doesn’t.  So why do we still pursue being both clinically effective and Christ centered in our approach to treating people?

  1. God is for people trapped in addiction. God knows their story.  He understands their pain.  God is pursuing them with a reckless abandon to redeem and restore what has been lost.  If God is for them, we should be to.
  1. God can “fix” the addiction in a moment. He can do that!  But most often, God uses process to bring about recovery and restoration because other relationships are involved.  Process involves trust and faith.
  1. Significant emotional events change how our brain functions and works. Both in positive and negative ways.  Addictive behavior does as well.  We are so blessed to have skilled and gifted professionals with a heart for God and hurting people that can clinically address the deep and often broken parts of our clients.  We are thankful for people whom God has given great insight to the workings of both the mind and heart.
  1. We are clinical so the local Church doesn’t have to be (although it can be). The local Church does so many things such as feeding the poor, orphan care, widows, taking the Gospel to the world.  Our desire is to let the local church be the local church and shine where she is strong….in loving and leading people to Jesus.

So yes, we are both clinically effective and Christ centered.  God has given us a unique skill to care for the mind and minister to the heart.  We aren’t just one or the other, we are both.  Our goal goes far beyond the ceasing of an addictive behavior, but to offer Hope and Life as our clients move forward.