By: Lakeview Health
This week, we begin an occasional series of blog posts from Alexis Thomas, Christian therapist, and Ivan Gonzalez, primary therapist, in Lakeview’s Christian drug rehab program. Look for more from them in the coming weeks.
Welcome to our first blog! We want to start by saying that it is exciting to be writing to you today. It’s an honor that you took the time to read this. We have a strong belief that God led you here for a reason. In our experience in working with believers who have struggled with addiction, God is often used as a security blanket, a way to protect or not be held accountable for one’s drug use or negative behaviors. People say things like “I can do it on my own,” “Jesus knows my heart” or our personal favorite, “only God can judge me.” While these statements may ring true to the believer, they paint an incomplete picture of God’s redeeming work in recovery. We are often asked, “Why come to treatment, isn’t God enough to get clean?” You or your family might even be sitting there thinking, “I am a believer, and I don’t need treatment!”
First Step in Recovery
What is the purpose of treatment? The first step in recovery is honesty. It’s admitting we are powerless over our problems–that our lives have become unmanageable. Psalm 38:4 says “For my guilt overwhelms me–it is a burden too heavy to bear.”
Blending Faith into Treatment
Learning to navigate your feelings of guilt and shame while dealing with the disease of addiction can be overwhelming. One of the main tactics the disease uses is isolation and denial. At Lakeview, we counteract that isolation by blending faith with a clinical understanding of the disease concept. That provides a healing community where people can safely work through their deepest hurts and issues, while pursuing fellowship with other believers who are battling addiction.
The Role of Christianity in Treatment
Addiction is not easy. In isolation, we can do little, but “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matt 18:20). Christianity in treatment doesn’t seek to replace the work of God in the life of someone struggling with addiction. Instead, it seeks to enhance their recovery by providing a place where a person who claims that “all I need to heal is God and me,” can experience the healing of God with support and a knowledge base not found in other settings. If you want to know more about Lakeview’s Christian drug rehab program, call one of our admission coordinators at 888-616-0460. They are available 24/7 to answer any questions about detox, treatment programs and insurance coverage.
