Getting Rid of Your Demons in 2009

I used to have a blog on another site and so I'll pick and choose some articles which I have written before and add to them as I see fit. I thought this one might be appropriate to start off the year.

Your personal life has a profound affect on your professional life. If you have problems at home they will eventually affect your work. With some people the issues are immediate while others are good at hiding it. In either case, chancess are you would be better off resolving the issues at home before your career goes down the tubes. It will be better for your professional life as well as for you in whole.

Ever hear that term "I have my demons" or "He’s fighting his demons" or something similar? It’s used in movies, books and American conversations when discussing personal struggles, temptations and reoccurring troubles. Often these struggles are related to addiction or some stumbling block in a person’s life that just won’t seem to go away. Interesting though that the term "demon" is used figuratively when it could in fact be the very literal cause of the trouble in the person’s life. Is there a demon in your life?

Drug addiction, gambling, habitual lying, alcoholism, and sexual deviation are probably the struggles that come to mind the most. Most of us struggle with something that holds us back from becoming what God truly intended for us. Materialism is a big one that can have a destructive force on a person’s spending habits. Envy can have a destructive force on a person’s personality as well as affect how he/she treats others and limit the fruitfulness of relationships.
In any respect, it certainly seems to be quite a struggle to overcome these type of life altering negative behaviors whether it is an addiction or spiritual or mental struggle within ourselves. In fact, many addicts claim that they still battle with the temptation to go back to their old habits even after many long years of sobriety. This same pattern of behavior might be true for someone who constantly covets what others have. Do you have to have the latest and the greatest? It’s a daily fight not to go back to the old habit no matter what your “demon”. Are you struggling with an addiction? Are you struggling between the desire to quit something you know is so destructive and harmful to you yet you cannot seem to keep yourself from going back? Have you been addicted to something so long and rationalized it so much that you have become desensitized to it? You are so deep within the bowls of your addiction that you’ve rationalized that everyone else is wrong. One basic clue to see if you have a problem is to observe how the people around you react. Do the people you most love and care about have issues with your behavior? Do you often get into emotional outbursts with your loved ones? It’s not just you, it’s your addiction or “demon” talking. If what you do causes problems with the very people who would give their own lives for you, who love you dearly then you should consider the price you are paying to continue this habit or pattern of behavior. I mean seriously, are they out to ruin your good time or are they genuinely concerned? They are overreacting….is that what you tell yourself day after day, night after night? Another factor is depression. With any addiction there is often well documented proof that depression is associated with it in one form or another. Either right before or right after the behavior there is some time of remorse or “why did I do that”? Memory is linked with depression. Do you find that you often forget the simplest things? It’s become so common that you’ve just accepted it? This is a sure sign of depression and maybe if you dig deeper the depression is a link to your addiction. Try an experiment. Give yourself 20 days of non activity. Abstain from that addiction of yours for 20 days just to see if you notice any changes.

"The Lord works in mysterious ways", we’ve all heard that one. All I know is that the Lord works. He gets the job done. Also, ever heard people tell you "All you have to do is ask"? In fact they quote the verse in the bible that talks about knocking on the door and it will be opened…you know the one. The truth is you have to be sincere. You can’t just ask for the sake of going through the motions but you have to mean it. You have to want to change and finally God has to approve it. You’ll get an answer but you may not like what God has to say.

You’re not alone. We all struggle with something that embarrasses us or makes us ashamed. The ones that need help most don’t think they do and will never ask. Pray for them as well as for yourself and watch God work his miracles. I know I'm praying and working on changes in my life, I hope you'll join me in prayer and change our lives fomr inside out starting with that person in the mirror.