Welcome to episode #181! This week, Matt and Braden talk about when is a good time to ask for outside help when we are battling addiction.
Look at your motivations and scepticisms for reaching out.
Family upbringing can be a big factor for reaching out. If your family didn’t talk about things or share deep inner hurts because there was ridicule or criticism, that will contribute to your wiring and how you might model your present day life. Even if you had a more open environment for sharing, the area of porn can still be difficult to bring up because it is often linked to shame.
We Always Need Help.
It might be a slow turn to change course when we ask for help. Changing our mindset, regarding asking for help, can take time. Past experiences of getting help may have gone negatively and that can affect our decision to ask for help now. If you stop reaching out for help, you won’t get any. We have to open ourselves up to receive. Biblically, we are called to meet together and share our hurts with each other. We don’t need to hit rock bottom before we reach out for help.
Reaching out is not a weakness.
If you think you can b eat this on our own, then what's the point of Jesus? We can’t go through it just with God - He sends us to other people and he sends other people to us. That is where shame gets broken and humility is established. People don’t need to see that we’re perfect. When we see imperfections, we realize that others are just real people. There is a respect to be had when you are real and open. There is power in vulnerability.
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Resources
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Podcast Hosts
BRADEN HAFNER
Braden is the Regional Director in Alberta for FamilyLife Canada. He has been married for 14 years to his wife Kristen, and they live in Edmonton, Alberta. He is passionate about seeing marriages grow and thrive, and helping couples move to a deeper oneness with one another and with God. FamilyLife Canada has a variety of resources and events to help you and your spouse take your marriage to the next level. See what would benefit you at www.familylifecanada.com
MATT CLINE
Matt and his wife Louise raise their little guys, David and Oliver, in Edmonton, Alberta. He is honoured to do what he can to tackle the epidemic of pornography and sexual perversion in every way possible. Seeing lives and marriages get free and experience the love of God in profound ways is what drives him every day. He leads Restored Ministries, is a certified speaker and coach for the John Maxwell Team, and formerly played hockey in the WHL and for Hockey Canada. You can visit www.restoredministries.ca.
