Christian parents of drug addicts really have a lot works on their hands. I must tell you it is not really a good position to be. I have personally related with these types of people and their experience has been far from pleasant.
However, there is a solution and a good one at that. Christianity and the Bible proffer solutions to any problem. Therefore, Christian parents can heave a sigh of relief.
If you are a Christian parent and you are presently battling with a child who has given in to an addiction problem, then I feel for you. It can be very tough to have to cope and deal with situations like this. An addiction case of whatever form in the life of a teenager is never a palatable situation. The thought of a negative habit drowning the mind and personality of one’s child will always take the joy out of any parent.
From my interactions with such parents and teenagers who have given in to addiction, I have observed that most Christian parents don’t really figure out what they have to do spiritually and medically to help their children. It is the intention of this post to give some useful tips that are scripture compatible so that you can be able to start using them immediately.
Christian Parents Can Indeed Help Out in Addiction Cases
A survey shows that “74% of teens said they had turn to their parents as their No. 1 source of advice about the use of alcohol or other drugs. 63% said hearing their parents’ stories about past alcohol or drug use would make them more responsible about their own use of drugs.”
CASAColumbia’s teen surveys have consistently found that family is fundamental to keeping children away from tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs (Survey on American Attitudes on substance Abuse./).
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Christian parents of drug addicts really have a lot works on their hands. I must tell you it is not really a good position to be. Read this Christian guide.” quote=”Christian parents of drug addicts really have a lot works on their hands. I must tell you it is not really a good position to be. Read this Christian guide.”]Some experts believe genetics and environment influence a person’s addiction risk. Most teenage addiction problems are as a result of the actions and inactions of parents or guardians! If a parent smokes and drinks heavily, there is a big possibility that one or all his children will take to such habit. If a parent womanizes, it is possible for one or all his children to embrace such act. If the child is not able to find a sexual mate, he or she could take to masturbation.
Christian parents can indeed help out if they have children who have given in to any form of addiction. I believe help for teenage addiction should start from the home, most parents think otherwise though. I have dedicated the control emotions and addiction section of my blog to preach this gospel to Christian parents for sometime now.
I want you to read carefully and apply the following Bible-based tips to help your teenage child who has given in to addiction.
Admit There is a Problem
In our ministry, which is a problem-solving Christian organization, we believe that one of the first steps to solving a problem is to first admit there is a problem in the first place. This will steady and prepare you for series of further actions that will eventually solve the problem.
I want you to look at how the prodigal son used this tip to help himself out of trouble. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘ How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him…” (Luke 15:17-18). He asked his father to give him his own part of his property and moved out of the home to another country. Because he was unprepared for such adventure, he wasted all his resources in careless living. He took up a job thereafter in another man’s business.
However, he later realized his situation needs quick remedy and the only remedy was for him to go back home to his father. He admitted there was a problem and his admission led him to take further steps of finding a solution to his problem.
It is surprising to see parents who don’t readily admit the situation especially when every thing around their child points to this. Usually some parents want to believe it is not really happening even when there are obvious symptoms showing that it is happening.
Admit You Have Shirked in Your Duties as a Parent
Yes it is likely you have neglected or overlooked something and that is one of the reasons why your teenage child is into this. This step will not only commit you to find solutions by all means, it will also make you become better as a person and you will be strengthened to put in efforts to make amends.
Some parents would not want to do this. They always go on a blame game, blaming the child and everybody for everything that is happening apart from themselves. A blame game of this nature will not help. You should let the blame start from you if there is going to be any at all.
Eli, one of Israel’s Old Testament priests failed to take this step seriously on issues concerning the proper training of his children. God says this about him and his family: “For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them”. (1 Samuel 3:13).
The Bible even quoted his irresponsible reply to God and His prophet, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him” (1 Samuel 3:18). He failed to see his flaws and never made any attempt to correct them.
Whenever our four-year old child demonstrates a strange behavior or attitude, we (I and my wife) always try to look at how we have contributed to that. A four- year old will always pick up actions and attitudes from his or her parents unconsciously. We check ourselves before we begin to investigate other channels of influence like school and the rest.
I also used this effectively when I was a classroom teacher. If a student suddenly begins to put up a strange attitude in the class, I always do a check on myself before investigating any other channel of influence on the student.
Prayer Also Works
In one of my Christian article, “You Need Spiritual Backing”, I proved why everyone needs what I call spiritual backing to get things properly done or solve problems on this earth. Some people have run towards God and some others have run towards other sources. If you have God as your Lord, then you need His spiritual backing to solve this problem and any other problem. Prayer is one of the major practices that can make this spiritual backing available to you.
Manoah, the father of the popular Bible strong man called Samson said a prayer of inquiries to God when the wife reported her encounter with God’s Angel who told her she was going to conceive and bear a son. I want you to look at the content of Manoah’s prayer line to God: “O my Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent to come to us again and teach us what we shall do for the child who will be born” (Judges 13:8-9) (Emphasis mine).
This was a wise parent. He wanted God to teach him and his wife what to do with the child that God promised them. I wish most parents will be like this. You can kick-start the treatment plan with a prayer of inquiries. Put it in God’s hands, He will surely supply the relevant steps to you as you carry out the treatment on your child.
You also need to pray for insight into how you have contributed to the problem, what to do to help your child, how to approach your child in the course of kick- starting the treatment, who to seek help from, deliverance from any evil spiritual forces that may be responsible for the problem. You will have to pray all through. Don’t stop praying. Pray at every stage of the treatment to the end.
You Need the Skill to Initiate a Chat with Your Child
One of the training courses of our school teachers’ seminar is called ‘Friendship Tutoring’. The simple idea behind this course is this: “Any difficult child can become eager to learn and use your advice or teachings if he or she sees and recognizes you as a friend.”
Most parents who have children who have addiction issues or who are demonstrating difficult attitude have missed this. In the course of trying to help their children, they approach him or her as ‘enemies’. These children will not see a friend trying to help but an ‘enemy’ who is ready to destroy them. This introduces an I – am – not – learning barrier in their hearts and the children, instead of learning and using the parents’ advice, rebel against it instead!
If you found out that your child is into any dangerous addictive habit, you should first of all pray to God to help you as you begin series of chats with him or her. You should then make up your mind to start and use your various treatment chats as a friend. You should remember that it is likely your child’s behavior might have originated from your own careless behavior.
Jesus used friendship tutoring all through His stay with His disciples. He even showed this with His statement in John 15: 15: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is ding, but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you”. The disciples learned so much from Him and became better people until they were ready to continue the good works of Jesus Christ.
Now let us look at what I have tried to teach so far in this post. You should admit the problem, this is the first step towards finding a solution. You should admit you have neglected some important parenting tasks over your child, this will help you really see where you have gone wrong. The prayer will always be useful, go on your knees and pray. Learn the skill of initiating a recovery talk with your child.
Is there a way or a method you have used to help a child who has given in to any addiction problem as a Christian parent? Please share your experience with me and others.
Note: Despite the fact that I have given you some Christian tips in this article, you should not neglect the part of seeking the advice of medical personnel and professionals who are trained to handle issues like this.
I have dedicated a section of this blog and a short ebook guide for Christian parents of drug addicts to teach Christian principles that can help people to stop addiction and control negative emotional problems like fear, anger, worry and anxiety. The resources have helped lots of people online and offline.
Click ebook guide to read more.
