The hard question for many is now what? What am I going to do with myself now that I am not doing __________? Getting free from the bondage and drain on your life very likely will unleash enrgy, creativity and passion that has been kept at bay and damped by the thing or activity, the guilt and shame, the constant fight to feed the beast and other aspects of addiction. Finding a good and or healthy outlet for this newly released energy and creativity can be both helpful and rewarding.
Remember that addiction and habitual sin is not really about that issue. It is a way of self-medicating, escape, distraction and relief from pain and fear. The more quickly we address the issues at the root, the more relief we find from the impulse to escape, distract, numb, etc. Don't be afraid to explore the truth of our needs with an eye always on the One who can and will meet those needs, if we let Him.
Alone can be a very dangerous place to be, especially in the beginning. This can mean both solitude and getting stuck alone inside our heads. The truth is that we are not alone, even in solitude. God is always with us, but feeling alone can be something we haven't really learned to deal with. We won't always feel God's presence. This is especially true when we are self focused, as is often the case when in pain or trying to figure out how not to do what we've always done.
We may have felt alone or bored during addiction, but probably never allowed those feelings last for long. In addition to whatever else we were escaping, numbing or distracting from, we also distracted, escaped and numbed the issues that come with being alone and being bored. When we find ourselves with nothing else to do, it's easier to reach for that instant gratification and escape. Finding a strategy to make a good use of free time can be quite helpful. I highly recommend doing something of service as something that can both kill time and set off boredom and be fulfilling as well.
And since being alone in our heads can be such a frightening and uncomfortable situation before we have learned to deal both with that and also deal with the situations that we have been running from, it's a very good idea to have support. This can be a friend, a counselor, a minister, a mentor, etc. Find someone you can talk to or hang out with when the crazy gets too loud. Also this person can help hold you accountable both in staying away from the addiction and in pursuing the relationship with God that will, in time, remove the obsession.
While being alone can be frightening and dangerous, sometimes it is much better than the alternative. The will be a time when you are recovered and spiritually fit enough to be a light and a demonstration of God's love, power and way of life to the people and in the places where you were once a slave. But until that time that He has made us strong, going unarmed into the enemy camp is suicide. It isn't always easy to tell people that we have considered friends that we can't hang out, at least for now, but better to be alone than be drug back into bondage. New friends, at least one, who can encourage and aid your pursuit of relationship with God are essential to growing spiritually.
Keep in mind, recovery is a process. Our bondage didn't happen overnight and didn't last only a day. We have Stockholm syndrome. We have gotten used to, comfortable with and morbidly infatuated with our captor. Breaking free of that without desire to return will also likely not happen overnight. I say likely, because God is able to perform such an instantaneous miraculous freeing of an addict. But just as He led Israel from Egypt to the Red Sea instead of an instant transport to the Promise Land, He usually takes us slowly to freedom so that we can learn to trust Him and depend on Him for our need and protection.
Pray. Pray some more. When you finished praying, pray again. Don't just pray for God to remove the addiction. Pray for a change of heart. Pray for a deeper relationship with Jesus. Pray to get to know Him. Pray with thanksgiving and gratitude as much as with your pleas for aid. Prayer, talking to and listening to God, helps us discover more the depths of His love and care for us and turns our attention from self to the source of life.
Finally, write. It may sound crazy, and it may seem like advice from a writer more than general advice to and for everyone, but seriously it helps. It occupies time. It helps us get the toxic feelings and thoughts out, helps us sort or thinking and follow it to its logical conclusion. It can help us realize how insane or foolish actually is at times. Looking back on past writing can be one of the fastest ways we can see the truth of progress and that this feeling of hopelessness at the moment is not new nor anything we haven't made it through before. Write our the feelings, fears, anger, doubt, confusion, hopes, dreams, prayers. Talk to God with ink. Be honest. If you feel angry with God, express it. He's a big God, and He can take it. Besides, He already knows. You may be surprised to be inspired to continue writing until you see clear direction about what to do next or you actually feel better. It works, and not just for writers.
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