The truest thing that I have learned over the years is that your life won’t work unless you have a relationship with God. It doesn’t matter which approach you take to having a relationship with God. You can practice Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, etc. The issue isn’t how you have a relationship with God. The issue is that you simply have one.

Many years ago, I worked in the child abuse and neglect field. We dealt with many parents whose children had been removed from their care because they abused drugs. The issue confounded me. I couldn’t understand why people would keep using drugs if they were faced with losing their children.

At the time, I worked with a very religious lady. She was originally from Africa and was quite beautiful. Underneath her desk, she had two things: a space heater and a CD player. The CD player constantly played Christian music at a very low volume. She was very nice to me, and we talked frequently about our work.

One day, I asked her, “Why wouldn’t someone just stop using drugs, if it meant getting their kids returned to their care?” She answered, “The loss of their child is not enough motivation. The only answer to drug addiction is God.”

At the time that we had this conversation, I was fairly young. I didn’t have a lot of life experience, and frankly, I thought that she was a little bit bananas. It seemed extreme to me to say that they only way out of drug addiction was to have faith in God.

Well, that conversation took place 20 years ago. In the ensuing 20 years, I’ve learned that my lovely co-worker wasn’t bananas. She was right.

I’ve dealt with a lot of people over the years who have suffered from varying degrees of mental health and addiction issues. What I’ve learned is that you can be kind to people with these kinds of issues. You can help them. You can give them good advice. And all of that may make them feel a little bit better in the present moment. But you cannot heal their broken minds. Only a relationship with God can provide that kind of healing.

When we submit our lives to God, we give up doing things our way. We instead choose to do things His way. And that means that every moment of our day is devoted to Him. So, when we are tempted to abuse drugs or alcohol, or to abuse anyone else for that matter, we stop and ask God for the strength to do the right thing instead.

A life in service to God is the only one that works. God is our cure. He is the cure for addiction. He is the cure for depression. He is the cure for greed. He is the cure for meanness and gossip. He is the cure for resentment and all the petty human behaviors that we encounter.

Now I am not saying that medications and therapists don’t have value. They do! But God needs to be in our lives in order for us to be successful human beings. When you live a life devoted to God, negative behaviors aren’t part of your lifestyle. That is because your life isn’t about you and your needs and desires. It is about Him and about serving the world.

This week, if something ails you, consider God to be your cure. Turn away from negative behaviors and unhealthy thinking. Instead, choose a life that is devoted to God. Devote yourself to being kind and caring for others. Pray for His guidance. Turn your life over to Him and watch the wonderful things that He can do in you and through you.

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Books: “The Secrets to Success for the Working Mother” by Meerabelle Dey (https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Success-Working-Mother/dp/1546329544 )