The prudent forsees danger

Proverbs 22:3 (NLT)
3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

There is a benefit to wisdom and taking wise thoughts into consideration. For the wise will see dangers heading their way and they take the necessary precautions to prevent those dangers from affecting their life. The wise are aware of the temptations they face and they put on God’s armor for defense. In the face of a storm the wise retreat to His strong tower for protection. The simple believe all things which flatter them and they are naïve to the dangers awaiting. The simple thrown their selves into danger ignoring the warnings they have been given. Blindly they walk into sin and only repent after their consequences have been dealt.

There are many different addictions: alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, shopping. It is difficult to estimate the number of Americans with these addictions, but it is safe to say they number in the millions. An addiction is a behavior that functions to bring about momentary pleasure to escape internal discomfort. Addictions are characterized by recurrent failure to control the behavior even though the individual faces significant negative consequences due to the behavior. Addictions alter brain areas over time that is critical to decision making, learning, memory and behavior control. This may help to explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addicts. In a survey by the Gallup Poll the words emotional, devastating and horrible were most often chosen by family members to describe the addiction of a loved one. People are led into addictions by many issues, whether genetic, mental issues, childhood trauma or social environments. It is not uncommon for a person with an addiction to have co-occurring addictions and disorders. But for all who are involved in an addiction the first step was making a choice that did not foresee the dangers ahead. The person was so intent on getting a fix for one problem they foolishly introduced themselves to a new set of problems. They just didn’t take precaution to prevent the addiction and they didn’t seek out wise counsel or ask for help. Instead the addict chose their own path leading to danger. A person can recover from an addiction, but successful long term recovery requires a lifetime commitment to healthy decisions and actions. Relapse can occur and all involved should prudent in the evaluation of their actions. Turn to the Lord for wisdom and let Him walk with you on your journey.