And by that I mean Coca Cola. Before you roll your eyes or snigger or sit stoically and read further, let me just say, I honestly have a problem.
I didn't know I had a problem until I tried to quit drinking my 4 diet cokes a day. And tried again. And again. And again.
Well dang.
So in response to my obvious inability to give up Coke Zero, it was clear that it had more of a mastery over my life then was appropriate. I had made coke zero or diet coke something that I needed to function. To be happy. To be satisfied. It was filling God's places in my heart.
I have been really surprised how hard it's been to give up soda. For example, today I tried to wrestle a coke out of my friend's hand and begged for a sip of my other friend's at lunch. People are starting to look at me with pity in their eyes.
I might be living under a bridge soon. Please visit haha
But in all seriousness, this struggle has given me a window into people who also have addictions to drugs or alcohol or self harm in new ways. Ways that help me to be more compassionate and pray more fervently for freedom for them. Because I am them.
A friend asked me today how my heart is doing with this, and it's in rebellion. I want to have my cokes, because it's not a "bad" addiction. I find all kinds of ways to rationalize my issues.
And then I hear the words: You shall have no other gods before Me.
Le sigh.
Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.
Romans 6:16 NLT
