This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

[savon19]

(At first I posted this in Help ASAP by mistake! WISH there was a way to delete messages on here!!)

I was reading this this morning (as I was Once again trying to talk myself into quitting smoking - which is, for me, Harder than quitting drinking!)... I haven't read the Bible in many months, but decided to read Romans. This is from this contemporary language version called "The Message".

It just struck me as such a perfect description of what I've been going through - and just wanted to share... Whether or not you believe in Jesus Christ, you might see your own struggles in these verses.

That it was written a couple thousand years ago just shows we didn't invent this stuff!!

ROMANS ? CHAPTER 7 ? VERSES 17-20
But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can?t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don?t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can?t do it. I decide to do good, but I don?t really do it. I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don?t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it?s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God?s commands, but it?s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge!
I?ve tried everything and nothing helps. I?m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn?t that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

[gyco]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

hi 19,i here you,the bible and the true word,that my dear is a huge statement,god guides us just like in the beginning,we make the mistakes,kinda like the people that blame god for this mess,he mt of put it here like fire,its up to us to leave it alone,i no you mean well,smoking ishard to quit,i smoked 30 years ago,not a puff since, cant say the same with Al,i wish you well gyco

[LilBit]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

Hi Savon, the next chapter of Romans begins to give the answers to this dilemma:

Rom 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness"
Rom 8:37 "... in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

I don't think that God meant for us to be able to do things (particularly the hard things) by ourselves, i.e., on our own strength. We always have a choice, but when we choose to "go it alone" our resolve and abilities will only take us so far. The cool part is that, if we choose to stay tapped into this infinite resource of power that is God, we can do AMAZING things -- things we never dreamt of!

Think of the difference between trying to power a light bulb by riding a bike that generates electricity (I know, something you do every day, hee hee) ...



...or simply plugging it into a wall socket.

Hope this helps!

Love,

LilBit

[Lavande]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

Good morning Savvy,

Thank you for posting those verses - they do perfectly describe our mental struggles!
I recently quit smoking myself and found it was MUCH harder than quitting drinking! The thing that has helped me the most, in both quits, is understanding the Junkie Thinking phenomenon. The physical addiction to these substances disappears after just a few days, the mental and emotional addiction lingers much longer.

I am 75 days NF today, very happy & proud but I would be a liar if I said the struggle was over. I still 'think' about smoking but I don't crave it. Everytime I get a smoking thought I tell myself it's just the 'Junkie Thinking' and smoking is not an option. I distract myself and the thought soon goes away.

I joined and learned a lot from QuitNet! I post under a different name there (have I seen you on there?)
I used Commit Lozenges for NRT and am weaning from them now. I joined a couple of clubs, found a few buddies to swap stories, etc.

In both of my quits I've learned, more than anything, it is vital to change habits & routines, avoid people & situations that are known triggers for me!! I really think that's the key to success

Wishing you the best, you can do whatever you REALLY WANT to do!
Lav

[TranqWilly]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

Hi Sav! I like this passage, even though I'm not a big bible thumper. It reminds me of how easy it is to "shut-off" my conscience, my best intentions and my commitments when those "special urges" arise and just seem to take over my entire being. I sometimes look back at events and ask myself "what was I thinking?", but realize that I wasn't really thinking at all. Something just takes over and I seemingly have no will at all. As if I am just a pawn in something bigger that I don't understand how to overcome. That passage is kind of bleak in a way though, but I've heard those "Romans" were party-animals!

I quit smoking about ten years ago and never went back. It was kind of hard -- I think because we're under the influence of tobacco nearly every waking moment of every day. For me, I tried to find ways to make it as easy as possible to quit, but still had my struggles. I used "the patch" and it helped me a lot -- but I've learned from others that it doesn't help everyone. I also spent some time learning about what smoking does to your body, and found ways to counteract that. So by minimizing the physical impacts, I was in a better position to deal with the mental urges. Good luck!

[OverIt2007]

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Hey Savvy my friend!

I am very familiar with those passages, although worded just a bit differently in my Bible. When I get back from Church, I am going to look up what I have on those passages.


Something like, " Woe is me. I know I should do good, but the bad in me makes me do bad. I know whats right, but continue to do wrong"

If anyone knows what scripture I am talking about, please feel free to post. I am kinda in a hurry at the moment, but have found this interesting.

[savon19]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

(Hi OverIt -- it IS the Bible, just in present-day language... so it will be the same verses in your Bible, just more formal lingo...)

LilBit - yes, I am trying to tap into that source... I Know I can't do this on my own!

TranqWilly - LOVE to hear when ppl say they've quit smoking for that long!

And Lavande - congrats on 75 days (WOW). I am on quitnet as savon19 (got stuck on that user name... lol). It is a very helpful site, like this one. What's yr. name on there... (if you want to say)?

How the HECK did I manage to get all these Blasted monkeys on my back??? :crazymonkey:

I know one thing: if I continue to drink, I won't have a snowball's chance in hell quitting smoking!

I had strong urge to drink today (already!) - Day 3... which seems to be my stumbling block. I'm supposed to meet a friend this afternoon that I haven't seen in a while --- and was actually thinking of cancelling so I could drink!! Now, how SICK is that??!! (I didn't... but it will be hard if SHE cancels for some reason... again: SICK!!)

[Lavande]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

Hi again Savvy,

I'm known as SHS71 on QuitNet.
I honestly haven't posted anything unusual or life shattering there. I just love to get on there each day and renew my pledges to not smoke. And on the Other Addictions forum I pledge to not smoke or drink every day..............kind of keeps me grounded

Somehow we did end up with all these monkeys on our backs BUT that doesn't mean we have to leave them there! I copped such an attitude about all this back in the beginning of the year. I decided this year was my year to fix myself, no matter what!! So far, so good.......................I'm happy but cautious. I really feel the need to stay attentive, stay tuned in and not let my guard down. It wouldn't take much to screw up.
Keep pushing those urges away - that's all they are, just urges. You know the N.O.P.E. quitticism (Not One Puff Ever) - maybe we should adopt N.O.D.E (Not One Drink Ever) here

Hope your afternoon out with your friend was enjoyable
Stick with us!!
Lav

[LilBit]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

BTW, Sav, I quit the ciggys years ago and I have to say that was harder than the AL. Good for you for taking it on!

[savon19]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

I'm draggin' my feet and kickin' & Screamin' about the smoking thing. But it's just something I have to do.

It's kind of scary to think how my life would change w/out those d**ned monkeys frolicking on my back. Thing is, how can we be scared of... making our lives BETTER?

Guess we're just such creatures of habit that Change, even if for the better, is Scary!!

YAY for you, lilbit, on quitting the cigs.

Maybe I'll see you on the Q, Lavande.

[TranqWilly]

This may should be in Spirituality but I wanted more to see...

Wow Savon. You hit the nail on the head -- Fear of change is huge. It has been a huge impediment for me and drinking. Oh my! How will I survive? Facing those fears might be the hardest step of all.

I'll say it again -- I absolutely love that Anais Nin quote: "Sometimes you have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down." It says so much about how we have to deal with the fear of the unknown that holds us back.

But going all-in without a plan may not be the best bet. Read all you can about what smoking does to your body: increasing blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure... then it all crashes making every cell scream for more to feel right again. The more you understand, the better you'll be able to counteract the cravings and keep your body on an even keel. Find drugs (patch, etc), supps and foods that help.

The rest is in your mind. You can do it. Good luck!