Mortal Metamorphosis

There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

Just like anything in life we need to start by figuring out what probable outcome we expect to have or see as an end result of our actions. This outcome or end result will then be the guiding factor in all actions taken to achieve or follow through with a project or task. For the last few weeks at work we’ve been doing ‘demo’ (demolition), as they call it in the construction industry, to ‘gut’ a building and get it ready for a new, remodeled finish.

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Demo work has always been one of my favorite jobs in carpentry and construction because it can be some of the most physically and mentally challenging. It almost seems counterproductive at first, but the benefits of keeping just some of the ‘bones’ and ‘shell’ of a building can sometimes outweigh the costs of building a totally new structure. Sometimes a totally new structure might not be feasible, or the existing one might hold sentimental or historic value making it necessary to remodel, repair and/or restore.

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We knew what walls needed to come down, what appliances and fixtures needed to go and how much time we had to get it all done. The end result would be an empty shell with a few inside walls, ready for tenants to ‘build-out’ in accordance with their own needs. When gutting a building to be remodeled, it can seem like an easy task to just go in and tear down the old stuff and clean it up, getting it ready for finish work. But there are complications with old buildings that have already been remodeled or had additions built on to them, sometimes there are layers underneath the visible layers that also need dealt with.

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There is actually a lot more precision and organization to demolition work than one might think, and it requires quite a bit of patience to accomplish some of the tasks while at the same time figuring out how to preserve the existing materials that will be staying. New challenges show themselves as, layer-by-layer, decades of old building are revealed. We carefully remove the unnecessary materials and the things that get in the way or inhibit the fruition of our end vision. When we can visualize an end result it makes it easier to perform the tasks necessary to get to said end, and keeping that vision in mind throughout the entire process guarantees the outcome we expected in the first place, even if the steps taken weren’t exactly as planned.

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When building a new structure there are blueprints or plans, to show every little detail about what is needed to construct said structure. There are no such plans for how to demolish a building from the inside. Sometimes the old plans can be used to tell where walls are needed to bear the load of the roof or floors above, and sometimes there are no longer copies of the blueprints so some of the information must come from the knowledge of the master builder and prior experience. In all these ways and more, demolition is a lot like the first steps to any kind of recovery.

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There are many types of addictions or ‘bad habits’ that affect the world today including; alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, opioids, methamphetamines, social media, pornography and illicit entertainment, ‘bad words’ and video games, just to name a few. Most of these addictions can control ones life and keep us from getting close to God. Some habits are ok in moderation, like video games or entertainment, as long as it doesn’t inhibit our ability to stay in His presence.

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God gives us every tool we need to battle these addictions and bad habits. By first being able to recognize that these things are keeping us from having a closer relationship to Him, we can then use the Word to understand how to be free from the chains of addiction. These tools include but are not limited to; prayer, thankfulness, charity and love, faith, hope and ultimately the power of understanding true sacrifice. I can testify from personal experience that God can and will show the way to the Truth and give the freedom we desire.

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By using the knowledge of the Word of God and putting that knowledge to use, I have been able to break the chains of addiction completely. I no longer can be held to do something that isn’t part of God’s will and perfect plan. Coming from an ex-military, ‘world’s most physically fit alcoholic’, video game loving, former materialist… I’d say that can be considered a miracle. God has given me the strength and knowledge I needed to become the free man I am today, all I had to do was first believe and then ask.

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To overcome ANY addiction or bad habit, I recommend reading the bible daily, asking God to guide you using the Holy Spirit and always believe that God raised our Savior Jesus from the grave so that we may be forgiven. With prayer and discipline, I guarantee with one hundred percent certainty that anyone can and will break the chains of addiction…. or your money back.

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Step Two: In with the new…

Coming soon.