The Addicted Spirit

TUES., APR. 10, 1990, 5:53 AM
FARM, STUDY

You shall be making a presentation tomorrow that has required little preparation, which is fortunate for this week. Despite an early class today you are here at an earlier hour to hear Me, and so I shall offer you some thoughts about the addictive process and its affect on spirit. Spirit, remember, is My major concern.

First, I’ll say that spirit can be part of the self that is addicted (even the major dimension), or it can be resisting and fighting that state of dependence. The former situation is the more complete addiction, and the one toughest to break. The latter is the most disturbing to the addicted one when there is not strength and will to counter the condition.

Remember that I told you years ago that addiction or dependence is not necessarily bad or undesirable. I want you, for instance, to be addicted to this process of coming in the early morning to hear Me. When you do not join Me for several days I want you to feel incomplete, longing and in need. Even as I want this to be voluntary, My wish is for you to have a spirit addicted to this time of enlightenment. Likewise I am pleased when a servant like the late Antonio (here in the earth) spends early morning time with Me and My Word, the Holy Scriptures. Some people are addicted to prayer, and that is good. Others have consciences that compel them to give of themselves to others. You just cannot comfortably return a paper to a student without a written comment… and something positive.

Yet the addictions this series of programs addresses are the undesirable ones, namely alcohol and other drugs. The effects are initially pleasant, in some ways. It may be the feeling of easy relaxation or more one of stimulation and excitation. The mind enjoys the experience, and pushes for a repeat… and a repeat. In a true addiction the body joins in, becoming adapted to the regular ingestion. When it is withheld the body protests, in the many ways that it can. When spirit is not strong and is not related to Me, consciously or unconsciously, it succumbs to this initial pleasure experience and becomes part of the addiction. It allows and even abets this dependence. Even after it becomes painful spirit’s protests are feeble and insufficient to motivate for change.

Still, I affirm that any spirit, no matter how weak and undeveloped, has the capacity to spark the recovery process. When the addiction has reduced a person to misery and pain the spirit is what pulls her back to a recovering state and is what keeps him seeking and then giving help. A transfer of addiction to a fellowship and the helping of others is much more desirable than remaining a drunk, even if it is not the perfect full recovery.

I must also laud the spirit that fights the addiction of the mind and body. Such spirits are instrumental in preventing addiction in many people, even in preventing the use that can become misuse. It can be called conscience, but it is truly spirit that encourages feelings of discomfort with certain behaviors and experiences. Even if such spirits are in bodies that become addicted (and some do much more easily than others) they fight against the dependence and are the means toward a treatment program and allegiance to a support group.

Without spirit there would be little success in groups like AA. Strong spirits come together in such groups and help create a group spirit. This attracts other spirits, and addictions are overcome. Spirit is behind admonitions such as “One day at a time” and “Easy does it.” Spirit is satisfied with momentary victories, but when “One day at a time” becomes years there is opportunity for a return to true living, even in active relationship with Me.