Ballard - O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One - October 2010

Elder Ballard speaks about fly fishing and how the fisherman deceives the fish into thinking the lure is a real insect.  Once the deceiving has occurred, the fisherman has the fish in his grasps and wrestles him into giving up.  He encourages us to stay away from anything that will destroy our agency and catch us in satan's grasps.

• Stay away from any kind of substance that may trap you. Even one sniff of something or one pill or one drink of alcohol can lead to addiction. A recovering alcoholic told me that just one drink is the difference between addiction and sobriety. Satan knows this. Do not let him hook you with his artificial lures that can quickly turn into addiction.

Sometimes satan uses good things to catch us in his grasps.  Prescription drug abuse is a real problem and a simple way for satan to start us down a dark path.

• We need to carefully follow the doses prescribed by doctors. And we need to keep such medications in a safe place where youngsters or anyone else cannot gain access to them.

Addictions can be more than drugs.  In our world today, video games and texting are pointed out as problems.

• Any kind of addiction is to surrender to something, thus relinquishing agency and becoming dependent. Thus, video-gaming and texting on cell phones need to be added to the list. Some gamers claim to spend up to 18 hours a day going through level after level of video games, neglecting all other aspects of their lives. Texting on cell phones can become an addiction, causing the important interpersonal human communication to become lost.

Addictions are a problem for us spiritually as well as physically.  But there is always hope found in the Savior.

• Medical research describes addiction as “a disease of the brain.” This is true, but I believe that once Satan has someone in his grasp, it also becomes a disease of the spirit. But no matter what addictive cycle one is caught in, there is always hope.

To start recovering, prayer is the first step to making necessary changes in our lives.

• If anyone who is addicted has a desire to overcome, then there is a way to spiritual freedom—a way to escape from bondage—a way that is proven. It begins with prayer—sincere, fervent, and constant communication with the Creator of our spirits and bodies, our Heavenly Father. It is the same principle in breaking a bad habit or repenting from sin of any kind. The formula for having our heart, our body, our mind, and our spirit transformed is found in the scriptures.

Hope can be found in the Savior.  Bondage can be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

• There is hope for the addicted, and this hope comes through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ and by humbling oneself before God, pleading to be freed of the bondage of addiction and offering our whole soul to Him in fervent prayer.

Elder Ballard again says that prayer is the first step to overcoming addiction.

• Fervent prayer is key to gaining the spiritual strength to find peace and overcome an addictive craving. Heavenly Father loves all of His children, so thank Him and express sincere faith in Him. Ask Him for the strength to overcome the addiction you are experiencing. Set aside all pride and turn your life and your heart to Him. Ask to be filled with the power of Christ’s pure love. You may have to do this many times, but I testify to you that your body, mind, and spirit can be transformed, cleansed, and made whole, and you will be freed.

Finally, through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all can be restored to someone to falls to addiction.

• For those of you who have fallen prey to any kind of addiction, there is hope because God loves all of His children and because the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ makes all things possible.

Addiction is a terrible curse.  It causes us to give up our agency to an artificial substance.  Addiction leaves you empty when it is all over and robs us of hope for a better tomorrow.  Elder Ballard promises peace and hope through the Savior Jesus Christ.  That peace and hope is real but requires effort for it to come.  If you are having a problem, please seek help.  The Addiction Recovery Program is for everyone.  There is hope in the Savior, but we have to find the strengthen within ourselves to come to Him and ask for help.