Redemption of Identity

The theme at The River Church- Get in love Grow in love Get others in love Addictions and compulsions are rooted in relational brokenness. To love another deeply is to build relationship with them. Those that have addictions and compulsions cannot be intimate. To expose your inward self, being transparent would be too risky for the hidden addictive lifestyle. Intimacy is not possible, because if you really knew who I am you would bee repulsed. But... Embracing that risk of intimacy is the path to healing and freedom. An addict is driven to seek relief from their pain. When the addiction is in control of the relief then it prescribes a mode of relief that only it can control. A mode whose long term side effect is yet deeper addiction. The true prescription for healing addictions and compulsions is counterintuitive to this lifestyle of addictions or compulsions. The lasting relief that leads to healing comes in the form of building deep relationship with one or two others and wit...

For me, if I pursue security and/or comfort by leveraging the promises of God's word for financial success or personal success or success in a ministry position I set myself up for seeking security instead of seeking a transparent, intimate relationship with PapaGod. The drive for security is demanding and grows if pursued. It becomes the placebo placeholder in my life where my hunger for Christ, for Holy Spirit's presence, PapaGod's intimacy should reside. My hunger becomes satiated by this world's success junk food. An active and effective life lived for Triune is lived in the place of hungering for intimate and transparent relationship with PapaGod. Seeking (which means I'm not satisfied with my present place so I'm actively looking) first His kingdom, his righteousness (value and worth that are intrinsically who the "I am that I am" is).