‘Just a little something to unwind’.
That’s often how it begins. A drink, alone, rather than with friends. A second to help forget. A habit that grows slowly, with few – if any–of our loved-ones spotting the initial signs.
Addicted to alcohol
It’s estimated that 1.4 million people in the UK are addicted to alcohol – many more abuse it from time to time. Those people are in our churches, living down our streets. Some will get regularly drunk with antisocial conduct, even violence, following on – others quietly down a few units each night with little obvious effect on their behaviour. But, for all, the damage to internal organs can be severe – the spiritual or relational fallout even worse.
What’s the appeal?
Alcohol is an effective depressant. It pushes away feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear. It numbs the mind and keeps reality at bay. Though, the morning after, real life rears its head with a vengeance again, now compounded by the hangover, the lies that need telling to keep up the facade or the logistics of another bottle to sneak out of the house.
In society it’s often pegged purely as a medical problem. ‘I can’t help it – it’s a disease’, comes the cry. And, as Christians, we must never write off genetic tendencies or the very real physical pull that addictive substances can exert – our bodies are not irrelevant in our walk with Christ. Neither should we be unsympathetic to the pain that often precedes popping the cork – frequently people are battling the worst excesses of this fallen world: childhood abuse, bullying, rape, bereavement, financial crisis, flashbacks to terrorist attacks or war…
Toward the bottle, away from God
But it is in the heart that the true hub of addiction can be found. Alcohol dependency involves turning towards a bottle and away from God. Those struggling tacitly say: I want to forget, not forgive … ignore, not engage … hide, not trust. They deny the good sovereignty of God (Psalm 140) and instead attempt to create a world that is less painful. They push aside the comfort of God (Psalm 18), idolising instead a pseudo rock and refuge made of glass.
Christians often find it hard to be open. Most know well the verses that encourage us to be filled with the Spirit, not get drunk (Ephesians 5.18), the verses that remind us that wisdom and excess alcohol never go hand in hand (Proverbs 20.1), but shame and isolation prevent many from asking for help. There are things, however, the church can do.
Different churches will come from different perspectives, but mentioning addiction in talk illustrations, explaining a church’s teetotal stance, being willing to have some alcohol-free socials (if serving alcohol is the norm) or offering non-alcoholic wine at communion shows that church leaders recognise that people do struggle. Those simple steps make it easier to talk.
Bringing it into the open
Once the conversation has begun, we can rejoice that our friend has brought their darkness into the light. We can help them identify what the alcohol is being used to suppress and speak words of comfort, challenge and encouragement in appropriate measures. We can spur them on to speak out their hopes and fears to the Lord in prayer. We can encourage them to see their GP (withdrawal may need medical supervision) and act as accountability partners. We can help clear out the bottles; go with them to buy food so we can galvanise them when the temptation to go down the alcohol aisle hits.
We can help them revel afresh in the book of Ephesians: the wonder of forgiveness, their identity in Christ and the Spirit’s role in bringing change. We can enable them to glimpse afresh the trustworthiness and compassion of the Lord. Churches can start addiction support groups – change happens best in intentional community. As friends, we can explain why we never drink or can ‘go dry’ for a season, in the spirit of 1 Corinthians 10. All this in the knowledge that, while there may be relapses in the months ahead, there is always hope for those addicted to alcohol. And confident ‘that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1.6).
