I wondered where the expression, “cold turkey” originated, so I looked it up online and found an explanation. Supposedly, the terminology originated in the early 1900s as a description of a heroin addict who was going through withdrawals. The person’s skin lost its color and developed raised bumps all over it resembling an uncooked turkey’s skin.
When you quit anything cold turkey, you decide that you’re finished with that habit, so you throw away your last pack of cigarettes, flush your pills down the toilet, pour all your liquor down the drain, etc. You’re determined. You want this drug out of your life forever. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were really the last of it for everyone who quits? Unfortunately, most people resume where they left off and the vicious cycle of quitting, relapsing, quitting resumes.
Once a person has truly quit using a substance, there is a season of withdrawal where the body and mind react negatively to not having their drug anymore. For a Christian, this is the most natural time to seek God’s help. For most of us, it’s a time we’d welcome losing the whole “free will” aspect of our lives and let God run the show entirely. We know that would work! However, God doesn’t work that way for most of us. He wants to walk alongside us as we learn to live our lives without the drug. He will strengthen us to say no to the temptations that come our way when we ask Him in the midst of our trials. He will come to our rescue when we humble ourselves in prayer asking for His intervention.
From what I’ve seen, He usually won’t take the crack pipe from your hand or pour your beer out for you. He’s not going to stop your dealer from calling you when he’s got a new delivery or keep your drinking buddies from asking you to go to parties. No. This is where the hard work begins. This drug or habit came in to your life with ease and became an important part of your life. It was not God’s idea for you to choose this drug. Anytime someone gave you the impression that your habit was unholy, you may have given them the brush off. And now that you want to be free, you will have to go through the tough job of denying yourself time and time again! Just remember that Christ is there to help you through. He will offer a way of escape if you’re looking for it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
Do you feel like God has let you down because you are still using or because you still stumble? If you do, please look at your situation from a different perspective. Look back at the last time you relapsed. What choice did you make that was out of line with God’s way of handling things? Have you confessed this to Him? Have you asked for His forgiveness? Have you asked Him to help you choose differently if presented with the same situation again? Hold yourself accountable to God for your choices; don’t blame Him for not fixing you!
Romans 5:3-5 says, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."
Are you willing to lay your burdens down again?