Drugs and other Stuff

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.(Eph 5:15-18)

I was chatting with a friend over lunch today and we got on the subject of alcohol and drug addiction. We are working on a music project in the studio. Some say drug use makes artists more creative. My friend disagreed. He's heard mixes from engineers who were under the influence and they may only sound good to someone on drugs. They didn't cut it for him.

I used to be all about mood altering. I became an alcoholic after years of drinking. And I know I tend to use music and movies as mood altering or mood catering substances. I have a friend who has his movies categorized by mood, not genre, but the desired emotional state. If he wants to laugh he watches a comedy. If he is feeling melancholy there are films for that mood. His wife left him. But he's still got his movies.

There are all kinds of ways to cater to your mood. You can try to change your emotional state through activity or diversion. You can deepen your emotional experience by trying to stay in it. Listening to The Beach Boys works for me when I want to capture the "good vibrations" of a sunny day.

Food can be a mood altering or mood catering substance. Today, while watching my friend work over the sound board, I felt the need to munch. Mind you, I wasn't really all that hungry. I ended up eating several handfuls of mixed nuts and raisins. It was an emotional thing. I was idle and munching meant activity. It brought me comfort.

Being mindful of emotional needs is a good thing. Emotions point to needs for love, fairness, safety and purpose. But to feed the emotion with a substance short circuits any self discovery and leaves us stuck in unhealthy cycles. What was I really needing when I decided something to much was a good thing? I suppose it was because I was not doing anything in particular. It's a good thing it was natural food. You should see what I can do to a bag of Tostios corn chips.

Paul says to "be careful how you live." He was guarding the church against immorality, greed, obscenity and impurity. While eating mindlessly isn't any sin you will find in the bible, I think this passage is one of a few that apply to our fast. Eating these pure foods on the Daniel Fast should be a means of grace, not a substance to abuse.

Just as drunkenness leads to loose behavior, unbridled munching, even on pure foods, leads to a cycle of dependence on foods to comfort the emotional need of the moment. Much of my eating has been driven by not paying attention to what I truly need.

Lord, help me to slow down and listen to my body, Your temple, and discover how you want me to spend the moments of my day. When I am idle, let me learn to enjoy simply being with You. Let Your love be more than enough. In Jesus' name. Amen