I am twenty-three years old and have a beautiful three-year-old son…. I have deceived my partner, making him believe that my son is also his son. I carry an enormous amount of guilt! Since I was fifteen I’ve been a drug addict, I’ve had a problem with alcohol, I’ve been raped a number of times, and I’ve swindled people to make easy money.
I don’t know what to do now. Every day my son grows, and my addiction to alcohol and drugs is killing me…. Desperation is getting the best of me, caring about what other people are thinking and not being able to stop all of this and be a good woman.
Dear Friend,
You have made some bad choices in your life, but so have every one of us. The Apostle Paul wrote that all have sinned and that none of us meets the holy standard of God.(1) Therefore, according to what Paul taught, there are only two possible groups: those who have never sinned and those who have sinned. Is there anyone who has never sinned? Yes, but only one. He is Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.
Even though you may feel that your sins are worse than those of others, you fall into the same group with all of the rest of us. We are all sinners. Every one of us deserves punishment. However, because Christ never sinned, He is able to trade places with us. He is able to take our punishment and the consequences of our sin. He died on the cross to pay for all your sins and mine.
You are probably wondering why someone who never sinned would have been willing to pay the penalty for those who have sinned. The Apostle John wrote one of the most well-known verses in the Bible to give us the answer: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”(2)
It is because God loves us! He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live on the earth and then die for our sins. Jesus died for the person who has only committed a few sins as well as for the person who has committed many sins.
When you pray in your own words and sincerely ask God to forgive you for all that you have done, He will do it! And he will not only forgive you, but also wipe away all your sins. That means you’ll be able to start fresh and be a good example for your son to follow. You will no longer have to be ashamed or desperate.
God can help you get rid of your addictions, but you will also need the help of other people. Join a group of those who are recovering from drugs and alcohol. And find a church where they have programs for people who are recovering. Read Cases 388 and 435 to learn more.
We wish you the best,
Linda
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1 Ro 3:23
2 Jn 3:16