Getting To The "Land of Better Life"

The following story may sound like an excerpt from the book Pilgrims Progress, but I wanted to paint a picture in your mind through an allegory to help you to move from where you are at now with your addiction, and into a new place where you are fully free and living a much happier life. So, here's the story...

Once there was a man named Wanting Freedom living in a town called Fear of Life in the Valley of Addiction. Life in the Valley of Addiction was very hard, but Wanting Freedom thought that this was the only safe place for him to live. Wanting Freedom longed for something more though, and then one day a traveler named Truth and Grace told him about the Land of Better Life just across from the River of Withdrawals. Wanting Freedom wanted to go to the Land of Better Life, but the idea of crossing the River of Withdrawals just seemed to be too unbearable. He had tried to cross that river before, but it had just become too scary and painful in the middle, so he had turned back and vowed to never try to cross that terrible river of pain and suffering again.

But the Traveler told him that He would help him to cross this time, so Wanting Freedom pushed through his fear and bravely crossed the River of Withdrawals with the help of Truth and Grace, and finally ended up in the Land of Better Life. Once he saw how wonderful it was, and how much easier life was there he wondered why he had not made up his mind to cross earlier, but then he realized that it was only with the help of Truth and Grace that this all became possible. Before he had always tried to cross by himself. Once in the land of Better Life, Wanting Freedom's name was changed to "Walking in Freedom" and he spent his days helping others to cross the River of Withdrawals into the Land of Better Life with the Travelers help. The end.

I realize this story may seem a little bit silly, but the analogies in it are important I believe. I just want to encourage you today that even though you may fear the pain and suffering of withdrawals when you try to quit your addiction, God will help you to get through it if you ask Him to. God will show you the way to your land of better life.

PHP 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.