You cannot free people who don’t know they are bound. Imagine Jimmy. Your cousin. He’s an addict. Cocaine, alcohol, sex or whatever. You’re out on a date and see Jimmy and he sees you. The first thing he does, ask for money. You start to scold him over his lifestyle choices. “Jimmy, this stuff is bad for you.” “Jimmy, your family loves you.” “Jimmy, you’re too old to be making the same bad decisions.” Yada, yada. Jimmy isn’t listening, he just needs those loose dollars in your pocket. You give him what you have and you walk off, shaking your head because you can’t understand why Jimmy won’t take the help you keep offering or why he can’t just leave the stuff alone. What you don’t know is, Jimmy probably wishes he could get over his addiction too but it’s not as easy as you think it is. Someone on the outside thinks a person who smokes can throw down their cigarette and the taste will be gone, it won’t. You think an abusive person can up and walk away from their abuser, just like that, they can’t. You think a person addicted to drugs and alcohol can just give it up, they can’t. Yes, they wish they could but the reality of the situation is this … most of them don’t even know they are addicts. Their addiction is what their mind draws them too when they need to feel safe, it’s their comfort, what they have grown accustom too and until they are ready, they don’t need your belittling nor will they be receptive to your help.
But you know this because some of you have been addicts before. Maybe it wasn’t to alcohol, drugs, sex and etc. but it was drama, attention and anger. Admit it. You fed off drama and that’s why your baby daddy could never get peace for the first seven years of his son’s life. You were comfortable in your addiction to attention and this is why you could easily bust windows, slash tires and break phones then act like everything was cool. You were an addict and didn’t know it and until you recognized your need for help, none offered you would have accepted. This is why I said, in the beginning, you cannot free someone who doesn’t know they are bound. I don’t care how much oil you slang on them or how many times you pray over their pillow; they will only be free when their mind is transformed. Bible says in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Beloved, you can change your clothes, your hair, your shoes, your purse, your wallet, your car, your job, your lipstick and even your spouse but none of that will do any good if you don’t change your mind. When you change your mind, you change your thoughts and actions and then your freedom comes! You are set free by the renewing then rehab! Who needs to be free today?
Lakisha, the Author 
Amen🙏
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