Those Weaknesses Can Be Overcome
THREE problems, more than others, seem to trouble modern youths as well as many adults. What are they? Alcoholism, smoking and masturbation (also known as self-abuse or autoerotism).
These habits appeal to the weaknesses of the flesh, and the modern environment makes it especially difficult to overcome them. For instance, liquor and cigarettes are appealingly advertised far and wide. Erotic inclinations are abetted by an avalanche of pornographic literature, motion pictures and television programs. But this does not mean that these problems or weaknesses cannot be overcome.
Divinely Provided Aids
In this regard it is helpful to consider the example of the apostle Paul. Christian apostle though he was, he confessed that he failed to do the things he wanted to do and did the things he did not want to do. (Romans 7:14-25) However, he also said: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.” (1 Corinthians 9:27) In fact, he was able to say to his fellow Jews: “Men, brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear conscience down to this day.”—Acts 23:1; 22:3.
What divinely provided aids are there to assist us in ‘pummeling our bodies’? How can we be helped to ‘behave with a perfectly clear conscience’ as regards such weaknesses as alcoholism, tobacco addiction and masturbation?
God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is one indispensable aid. Reading it regularly, yes, daily, and especially such portions as the Psalms, the book of Proverbs and the Christian Greek Scriptures, can be of great help. True it is that ‘man does not live on bread alone but on the truths coming from God’s mouth’ and found in His Word, the Sacred Scriptures.—Matthew 4:4.
We gain spiritual strength from reading God’s Word and Christian publications that help us to understand and apply it. These give us a better view of what pleases our Creator, Jehovah God. Moreover, we get good motivation from the righteous precepts and warning examples recorded in God’s Word. We are thus helped to love—and to do—what is good and right, while hating, yes, abhorring, what is bad, or wicked.—Psalm 97:10; Romans 12:9.
Prayer to God is another great aid. Time and again Christians have testified to prayer’s great help in combating their weaknesses. This was so with one Christian woman who was having a difficult time breaking the cigarette habit. Upon hearing a fine Bible lecture on the subject of prayer, she went home, prayed earnestly to Jehovah God to aid her in overcoming the habit, and from then on she had no further problem with it. (Philippians 4:6, 7) When we ask God, in all sincerity, to forgive us for having transgressed along a certain line, we get a sense of relief and are helped to make a fresh start in our struggle.
God’s holy spirit, or active force, also is an aid. It is available to us if we pray for it. Jesus said: “If you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him.” That holy spirit is a powerful force. (Luke 11:13; Zechariah 4:6) If we yield to its influence, we will be helped, for the fruitage of the spirit includes self-control, essential in coping with plaguing problems.—Galatians 5:22, 23.
Mature Christians also can be a source of help. Especially is this true of those who have spiritual qualifications, such as the congregational elders. By taking an elder into our confidence, we can be greatly aided in our struggle. But others can help also. The “aged women” may be able to help younger women. (Titus 2:3-5) For example, one retired nurse who had smoked heavily all her life was determined to stop smoking so that she could qualify for baptism. She set a certain date and told her close Christian associates about her determination. Well, every day one of these fellow believers either phoned her or visited her to give her moral support. The result was that by the end of the week she had completely overcome her craving for cigarettes.
So, then, we have noted four basic avenues of aid: (1) reading and studying God’s Word, together with Christian literature; (2) persevering in prayer; (3) yielding to the influence of God’s holy spirit; and (4) enlisting the aid of mature Christians. In these ways, many, many persons have been helped in their struggle to overcome weaknesses. Yet, some have a far more difficult time conquering weaknesses than do others. Are there yet other aids that they could effectively use?
Why More Difficulty?
Why do some have more difficulty than do others in overcoming certain weaknesses? Without doubt, there is the matter of spiritual immaturity. Anyone who fails to make use of the aids previously mentioned, or who uses them merely in a perfunctory way, is bound to have a more difficult time overcoming his weaknesses.
Ancestry is another factor. Some apparently have acquired certain weaknesses from their parents, or even their grandparents, in much the same way that one may have a predisposition to a disease, such as diabetes. So with respect to weaknesses it seems that ‘fathers have eaten unripe grapes and their sons’ teeth have been set on edge.’—Ezekiel 18:2.
There is also the matter of how frequently or how avidly a person has pursued a questionable course. This has great bearing on how firmly he is addicted to it. To illustrate: An individual who is smoking only half a pack of cigarettes a day would likely have less trouble stopping the practice than would one smoking three packs a day, a chain smoker.
Environment also may have a bearing on the problem. For instance, a wife may want to stop smoking, but her husband and teenage children may all smoke. It would be far more difficult for her to break the habit than it would be for a woman whose family did not use tobacco. Likewise, if prior to gaining Scriptural knowledge a person had the habit of dwelling on unclean thoughts, it would be more difficult for him to obey the injunction at Philippians 4:8 to think noble thoughts, and especially so if he had to work secularly among those whose conversation was prurient.
Overcoming Alcohol Abuse
What other approach might be taken by a person who seems to have an almost insurmountable problem with his weakness? There is what is known as the somatic approach. It might be called the psychosomatic principle in reverse. The psychosomatic principle is that the body and mind are one and so the mind and the emotions (the psyche) affect the body (the soma). But the reverse is also true; the condition of the body affects the mind. Thus cancer patients often suffer from mental depression. Accordingly, certain nutritionists hold that by building up physical health through proper eating habits a person would be better equipped to overcome the craving for alcohol.
In one experiment, rats were supplied with plain water and with water containing alcohol. Some rats drank heavily of the water containing alcohol, others drank only comparatively little and one rat never drank of it. When the rats were fed a diet especially rich in vitamins and minerals, by and large they greatly decreased their drinking of the water with the alcohol. But when given a diet greatly deficient in essential nutrients, all the rats began drinking large quantities of the water containing alcohol. The experimenters, among whom were some foremost medical researchers, reached the conclusion that there is a definite relationship between the likelihood of alcohol addiction and faulty nutrition; also that genetic differences accounted for the varying amounts of water containing alcohol that the various rats drank.
These findings have been used with good results by some members of the medical profession in dealing with alcoholics. However, the physicians emphasize that for the nutritional approach to be effective a person must have a sincere desire to overcome addiction to alcohol, for it would be a mistake to ignore the moral aspect of alcoholism. They do not agree with those who would have us believe that alcoholism is a purely medical problem. Nor do they overlook the fact that most likely there was either culpability or negligence on the part of those who became addicted to alcohol, even though the genetic factor and faulty nutrition may have played decisive roles.
Those who desire to live godly lives are especially concerned with God’s view of alcohol abuse. His sacred Word leaves no doubt that immoderate indulgence in alcoholic beverages is to be shunned by those desiring divine favor. (Proverbs 23:29-35; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) This supplies unequaled motivation in overcoming a weakness of this kind.
Giving Up the Tobacco Habit
A certain physician was addicted to tobacco and repeatedly tried to quit using it. But he did not succeed until he decided to become a Christian. It was not easy to stop smoking, but not too difficult. (2 Corinthians 7:1) However, another physician, this doctor’s fleshly brother, was faced with the same problem. In his case, overcoming the habit took a supreme effort, as he was a chain smoker. Though he eventually succeeded, he said that breaking off the habit nearly drove him to commit suicide.
Some nutritionists hold that proper nutrition will help a person to break the tobacco habit. They believe that often those addicted to tobacco have bad nerves, poor circulation or are overweight and that by remedying these problems there is a better chance of overcoming the addiction.
Another somatic approach (known as “One Step at a Time”) consists of smoking cigarettes with certain filters. First, the smoker uses a filter that removes 25 percent of the nicotine. Then for two weeks he uses one that filters out 50 percent; next, one that removes 75 percent; and, finally, one that filters out 90 percent. It is claimed that after that a person should have no difficulty in stopping altogether.
Combating Masturbation
Another problem that vexes many, especially young persons, is masturbation, self-abuse or autoerotism. True, the Bible does not refer to masturbation by name. However, since it is usually associated with sexual fantasies, it is certainly condemned by all the scriptures that speak against such thinking and action. For example, consider Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:19, 24; Ephesians 5:3-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; 1 Peter 2:11.
It is not our purpose here to discuss the very controversial subject of just how harmful masturbation may be to the body. Still, it is indeed of interest that the late Alexis Carrel, noted biologist and Nobel prize winner, stated in his book Man, the Unknown: “It is well known that sexual excesses impede intellectual activity,” and that self-control is essential to the full use of one’s mental powers. As a help, what somatic approach might be tried?
Often those who indulge frequently in masturbation are of a highly nervous disposition and are troubled with insomnia. To the extent that they can improve their physical health, strengthen their nerves and improve their sleep, they will also be helped in controlling themselves in this matter.
Abstemiousness at the table is another great help. The Encyclopædia Britannica (1959 edition) under the heading “Anaphrodisiacs” says: “Avoidance of a diet rich in meats and spices, and especially of intoxicating beverages, is important.” It could well be that some will not agree with this statement. Regardless of arguments presented, however, one may be helped by trying this somatic approach.
Cling to Bible Standards
Today, more than ever before, members of the human race have difficulty in trying to live by the righteous standards found in the Bible. No doubt, among the factors accounting for this are heredity and also a person’s rearing and environment. And not to be overlooked is the fact that Satan the Devil and his demons are out to debauch the human race. (Revelation 12:12) But, with God’s help and by clinging to Bible standards, a person can successfully resist the Adversary.—James 4:7.
The somatic approach has at times provided help in dealing with the problems of alcoholism, tobacco addiction and masturbation. Nevertheless, the chief remedies are spiritual aids, including the studying of God’s Word and Christian publications, persisting in prayer, yielding to the influence of Jehovah’s holy spirit and receiving the aid of mature Christians. With such help distressing weaknesses can indeed be overcome.
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Are You Struggling?
What should you do if you realize that you need to overcome the abuse of alcohol, the tobacco habit or masturbation? See if you can draw more heavily on one or more of these divinely provided aids:
1. Read God’s Word regularly, drawing strength from it.
2. Pray to God daily, seeking his comfort and aid.
3. Ask God for his holy spirit, or active force.
4. Draw upon help available from mature Christians.