Alcohol - should I abstain, and do you drink?

[Tiffany123]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

 

[Dansiph]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

Welcome!

To get straight to the point, I don't drink. I used to but stopped after I became a Christian. My advice is don't drink alcohol.

 

[Darkhorse]

Personally, you don't sound like alcohol would be a problem for you. You have learned that it can lower awareness, and caution, and judgment, and that knowledge will serve you well.

I never drank much, but I stopped completely for 35 years, due to having diabetes. Now my diabetes is under great control, but I have intestinal problems which are greatly helped by a glass or two of wine, so I drink very modestly. I also love beer, and I'm very glad I can have a can every few weeks. It's never been an addictive problem for me.

Lots of people think alcohol is evil, and people should never drink. Jesus drank wine; Jesus made wine, and this wasn't just "grape juice" like some people today think. It was wine.

So, pray about it, and follow your conscience. Don't let people twist your arm either way.

 

[tturt]

Sure wish I had those brain cells back.

 

[public hermit]

As they say, if you have doubt, do without. You sound young. If you are not sure you can moderate, it's not worth it. Alcohol, unbridled, can waste a lot of years. Find your joy in other things and then maybe you can enjoy a drink with friends when you're sure that you don't need it.

 

[thecolorsblend]

If you're sure that you're capable of moderation then I don't see the harm in having some alcohol once in a while. For example, I generally see no reason why a man shouldn't order wine with his steak during a candlelit dinner with his wife, if he wants some wine. I don't see this as a moral issue if one is capable of moderation.

So if you can be moderate about it then enjoy some alcohol.

There's nothing wrong with avoiding alcohol entirely tho.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion if you want to. Just don't use drink to cope with your feelings like you did in school.

 

[Anthony2019]

I would say that there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol as long as it is done responsibly.
Alcohol becomes an issue when people use it to manage their emotions, their feelings, or to hide from their problems. When alcohol is drunk excessively and for the wrong reasons, there is an increased risk of psychological or physical dependence, as well as intoxication which can be very dangerous.
Many people drink alcohol at meals, parties and social events. It complements the food that is eaten, adds to the overall comaraderie and enjoyment of the occasion. At the end of a busy week, getting together with friends, having a meal and perhaps even a drink or two, helps people to relax and unwind. It provides a welcome break from the normal humdrum of life and gives people an occasion to look forward to - a time spent with our friends, our families and those important to us.
Alcohol is there for our enjoyment as long as it is consumed sensibly and in moderation. For those who cannot control their consumption, or who drink for the wrong reasons, it is better if they do not touch it at all.

 

[Job3315]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

I don't condemn drinking. I don't drink myself, I've tried many drinks but I just dislike the taste of alcohol. From my understanding, drinks are like some sort of art, sort of like cooking, but even food can become an idol in our lives. I think the best thing is moderation and to make sure you are not using it to get comfort from it. The devil likes to provide us with counterfeit things to draw us away from God. I also keep in mind the Bible says to stay sober.

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

 

[Basil the Great]

I am probably the wrong one to answer this question. My grandmother was an alcoholic, so I vowed never to drink. Other than trying wine on just one date to impress a gal and accepting a small drink once from my late uncle at holiday time, I never did drink. I am also against drinking because I interviewed women for over 20 years in the social service field and many told me that they were abused by their boyfriends and husbands. The vast majority of these told me that the man was fine, until he drank.

Having said this, I realize that drinking alcohol is a controversial subject and my position is a minority one. I am not against it on religious grounds, but because I view it as a social evil. My dad's late heart doctor was killed in a car wreck caused by a drunk woman. We also had a wife/mother and two young children killed in a car wreck about ten years ago, a few miles south of the town where I live, again due to an accident caused by a drunk lady who ran a stop sign at a state highway. It does seem to be true that drinking red wine in moderate amounts has some health benefits. This must be weighed though against the potential harmful effects of drinking alcohol. It is an individual decision. None of us can tell you what to do. I will say that a real warning sign would be if you have a history of alcoholism in the family, as that would probably increase your odds of having a drinking problem.

I see this is your first post. Welcome to the forums and may God bless you and stay safe and well in these very trying times.

 

[Dave G.]

Listen to the Holy Spirit and pray to Him to answer, I believe it's Him who is giving you this conviction to not drink alcohol. I say that because this is what happened to me, then He took away the desire totally to the point I don't even like the smell anymore. He may be ready to do a good work in you or maybe a big work even and alcohol is in the way ( even in small quantities). Heed His warning.

 

[TexFire316]

I seldom drink anything stronger than coffee.
But there are days when working outside in the sun brings the promise of an ice cold beer waiting in the fridge when I get home.
Other days, a nice glass of wine is quite comforting. Then there are those days when that shot of fireball from the freezer is the perfect end for the day.
Take your question before the Father and do nothing until He answers. That is how all of us have to do it when there is doubt.

 

[renniks]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

If it tempts you to overindulge, I would say abstaining is best.

I personally was never interested in drinking. I don't really know why. I think I saw a few people acting stupid on it and that was that.

 

[section9+1]

I used to drink abusively when I was younger. I stopped when I turned 31. Now I will have about 3 beers spaced over a year. It's plenty. I can't tell you what's best for you. Always be responsible and know that alcohol is not a necessary ingredient for a good time or a good life. I don't think a drink will condemn you. Just be careful you don't condemn yourself.

 

[Lost4words]

I stopped drinking when i was 3. It just made me chase my tail all the time!

 

[eleos1954]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

If you're wrestling with it ... then give it up and you won't wrestle with it any more. ;o)

 

[Gregorikos]

I'm drinking a beer right now. And while I'm enjoying that, I'll share the Moses Stout text, which proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that God approves of alcohol consumption in moderation.

Deuteronomy 14:26 (NASB)
You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

Amen and amen!

 

[tdidymas]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

You might not be "an alcoholic" (yet) by cultural definition, but you obviously have a problem with alcohol, as you appear to know that already. I also had much of the same symptoms as you do, and because I eventually gravitated to drinking for the "high," I became alcoholic. Which means I was addicted. When I finally saw my problem in its ugly face, I tried quitting for all the good reasons, but wasn't enough. I had to seek help in recovery and therapy. Now that I am free, I had to make a rule for myself that I can't drink even one sip. As long as I steer clear, I'm ok. It's a matter of knowing our limitations and dealing with them wisely.
TD

 

[Soyeong]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

Hello and welcome,

Other than a sip of wine at a friend's Bar Mitzvah, I have not drank any alcohol. I think that almost everyone who starts drinking thinks that they will be able to control it, but that sadly often turns out not to be the case, with tragic results for not just them, but friends, family, and strangers. No one in my family has a history of drinking, so I have not personally faced the negative consequences of someone drinking, but I have heard enough negative stories of the impact of alcohol that it is not something that I would prefer to have in my life. With so many people trying to stop drinking, someone should have a good reason for starting to drink, and even then it needs to be handled with care.

I am currently interested in a woman who occasionally drinks wine, but has never drank to avoid feeling sad and has never been drunk. If things were to progress to the point of marriage, then it seems to me that it would be better if we partook in drinking wine together than having her drink alone. So that seems to me to be a good reason to start drinking wine. However, I would want to put a strict limit on how much wine we drank in one sitting and if it ever became a problem, then I would want to put an immediate stop to it.

So for you, you really need to know yourself. Just because you have drunk alcohol irresponsibly in the past does not mean that you can't become a responsible drinker, those it does run the risk of regressing to previous habits, so it is something that you would need to be extremely careful with. There is a huge difference between drinking for fellowship and drinking to not feel sad. Drinking to avoid feeling sad can easily lead to a dependency on alcohol and spiral into a downward mess that you would be better off avoiding. If you can trust yourself to know when you should not drink, to only drink for fellowship or in celebration, and to have a strict limit on how much you drink, then it would not be unreasonable for you to choose to continue to drink, but if not, and you find yourself making excuses, then it doesn't seem to me to be worth the risk.

 

[JM]

Do you drink? What are your thoughts on drinking?

This is a topic that I have been thinking about. I am wondering if I should not drink at all. I grew up in a home where alcohol was present but not abused. In my school years (before I had a relationship with Jesus Christ), I was introduced to it. I was in a toxic relationship so I would drink heavily on some weekends as to not feel sad. I also horribly regret saying that I drove drunk one time. I also had sex under the influence although I did not actually want to had I been sober. I was in a dark place and did not recognize how dark of a place I was in.
I finished my schooling years and the alcohol did not become a problem. I would enjoy a beer with loved ones on occasion. I have been wrestling with this lately. Should I not be drinking at all? Were those signs I should completely abstain?
Just hoping to get some thoughts.

I drink but see the wisdom for those who may be tempted by alcohol not to drink. It's good to tell yourself 'no' once in a while. There's nothing wrong with personal legalisms or rules that prevent you from overindulging in alcohol, chocolate, whatever.

I think communion wine should be alcoholic. The scripture is clear on that one.

Yours in the Lord,

jm