Question regarding smoking pot.

[darlatwizzlesticks]

I would love to receive feedback about this issue, it's something that I think is easier to talk about on an online forum ...

I have been a christian for five years, and when I became a christian I had a real guilt complex about my enjoyment of smoking pot. When I made the decision to become a Christian, I thought that the decision had to walk hand-in-hand with me stopping smoking cigarrettes, drinking and smoking pot (which makes some sense) and it was easy for awhile because of how close I felt to God. I felt that nothing compared to what I was experiencing with God and that the bible says not to do certain things, I wouldn't do it. Period.

I have "fallen back" to smoking a few times throughout these past years, usually when my faith's in a dry spell, but I have found that especially now since I am having trouble sleeping due to stress, pot is the only thing that helps me relax. The guilt complex is coming back and I have found it hard to pray without feeling scared that I might be knowing it's a sin, but going against God anyways. I don't want to be defiant, but the thing is, I don't even know anymore if it's a sin. I am aware of the verses in the bible about following the law in general and the verses in the bible about not being drunk, but both of these points are challengeable. Smoking pot is legal for people who need it for medicinal purposes and legal for everyone to use in certain countries, and being high isn't the same (technically) as being drunk. Forgive me for being challenging if you think differently, it's just me trying to wrestle with the issue.

It bothers me to have to keep it a secret, because obviously not a lot of christians accept pot-smoking (whether or not they have been faced with the mindset of someone who uses it for medicinal purposes). People that know me know that I have wrestled with this issue for a long time, but are unaware that I am using it on a daily basis. Should I be secretive? If I am not, I think a lot of the christians would think that there's something wrong with me. Maybe there is. I believe in God just as much as before and I long to know him just as much as before, but I guess someone could think that I have fallen away from my relationship with him if I can't grasp the fact that smoking pot is a sin.

I don't know if it's addiction, but I know that I feel stressed out when I think of running out. I have stayed away from drugs for periods lasting up to one year, how could it be an addiction? I'm totally confused.

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading! I appreciate your comments very much, if any are to be left!

 

[NickMack88]

Trust me... smoking whether it be pot or normal cigarrettes, will not help calm you down.

If you cant sleep, just do some situps in your bed until you cant do it anymore, you'll be worn out and be able to sleep easier.

If your stressed out over other issues in life, take a stroll and walk around outside, maybe you have a pet you can take for a walk? Or maybe you could exercise for 15minutes to keep your mind off things? Or perhaps hang out with friends.

But seriously, please cut back on the weed... God will be beside you and our prayers in CF will be with you, smoking pot is VERY HARMFUL in the long term.

 

[Anti Existance]

Everything that one does for oneselves is a sin. By giving love and helping others we obey by Gods law.

And that's basically your answer to why you are feeling guilty when smoking pot, because its selfish comittment to ones own pleasure instead of putting God on throne you have put cannabis on it. Try to quit,and stop smoking pot as much as possible. It hasn't helped you 'relax' at all, if you where relaxed about it you wouldn't have posted about it in here in the first place.

 

[tapero]

Hi, My ex husband stopped drinking for 5 years, because a pastor helped him to wean down, but then he started again, so he was never actually free from it.

So that you can give it up for a year, doesn't mean you arent' addicted to it I suppose.

The verse that comes to mind when reading your story is from Revelation where Jesus says (You have lost your first love, do the things you did at first.) I need this for myself too. I smoked pot till the day I became a Christian and then stopped that day. I just felt it was wrong. I hadn't read scripture yet, no man told me it was wrong; I just sensed it was wrong, so I stopped.

I am struggling with cigarettes right now. I really changed when I became a Chrisitan but have been drifting back to weight gain and cigs and not praying or reading. That's why I said that verse applies to me also. I have lost my first true love.

Take care.

 

[ephraimanesti]

I would love to receive feedback about this issue, it's something that I think is easier to talk about on an online forum ...

I have been a christian for five years, and when I became a christian I had a real guilt complex about my enjoyment of smoking pot. When I made the decision to become a Christian, I thought that the decision had to walk hand-in-hand with me stopping smoking cigarrettes, drinking and smoking pot (which makes some sense) and it was easy for awhile because of how close I felt to God. I felt that nothing compared to what I was experiencing with God and that the bible says not to do certain things, I wouldn't do it. Period.

I have "fallen back" to smoking a few times throughout these past years, usually when my faith's in a dry spell, but I have found that especially now since I am having trouble sleeping due to stress, pot is the only thing that helps me relax. The guilt complex is coming back and I have found it hard to pray without feeling scared that I might be knowing it's a sin, but going against God anyways. I don't want to be defiant, but the thing is, I don't even know anymore if it's a sin. I am aware of the verses in the bible about following the law in general and the verses in the bible about not being drunk, but both of these points are challengeable. Smoking pot is legal for people who need it for medicinal purposes and legal for everyone to use in certain countries, and being high isn't the same (technically) as being drunk. Forgive me for being challenging if you think differently, it's just me trying to wrestle with the issue.

It bothers me to have to keep it a secret, because obviously not a lot of christians accept pot-smoking (whether or not they have been faced with the mindset of someone who uses it for medicinal purposes). People that know me know that I have wrestled with this issue for a long time, but are unaware that I am using it on a daily basis. Should I be secretive? If I am not, I think a lot of the christians would think that there's something wrong with me. Maybe there is. I believe in God just as much as before and I long to know him just as much as before, but I guess someone could think that I have fallen away from my relationship with him if I can't grasp the fact that smoking pot is a sin.

I don't know if it's addiction, but I know that I feel stressed out when I think of running out. I have stayed away from drugs for periods lasting up to one year, how could it be an addiction? I'm totally confused.

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading! I appreciate your comments very much, if any are to be left!

MY DEAR SISTER IN CHRIST,

Having been a weedhead for approximately 26 of my 63 years, i compulsively read postings with your question--there have been a bunch--and i used to just as compulsively spend hours responding to them in minute detail based on my experiences--both getting high and getting Christianized. In the process i have convinced myself of one things--THAT I SHOULDN'T WASTE TIME TRYING TO DO GOD'S WORK.
This is a new Thread, and i'll bet that by this time tomorrow, it will be into its third page, opinions ranging from "Smoking weed brings you closer to God" to "Smoking weed will send you to hell." Soooo . . . i won't waste time and space boring you with my opinion beyond stating that while smoking weed i found many "gods"; by getting and staying clean, i have been able to find and develop and maintain a glorious relationship with the ONE TRUE GOD.
What i would suggest to you is that if you are SERIOUS in your questioning and have an open enough mind to hear the answer--ASK YOUR QUESTION OF GOD. To do this, i would suggest that you remain abstinent from cannabis products for a month--the average time it takes most of the THC to clear a "moderate" smoker's sytem--and then spend the following month praying and fasting regarding this issue. One of the prayers i would suggest you use at least morning and evening is the following by Saint Silouan which has stood me in very good sted over the years:

"OH LORD, WHO ARE MERCIFUL, THOU SEEST MY SOUL IS PERPLEXED AND IN FEAR OF DOING WRONG. ENLIGHTEN ME, O LORD.
"LORD, I AM A SINFUL PERSON, AND HAVE NO RIGHT UNDERSTANDING, BUT THOU, O MERCIFUL ONE, DO THOU SHEW ME WHAT TO DO."​

i guarantee that by the end of this 60 days you will have your answer.

MAY YOU BE BLESSED BY BEING SHOWN THE TRUTH,
ephraim

 

[darlatwizzlesticks]

Thanks so much for the replies!

Ephraimanesti, yesterday I read through some of the replies you had to this issue on the forum and I hope you know how beneficial your comments are - the time you spend giving advice and info to the people on here is not forgotten!!! That's a beautiful prayer and I know it's the right one.

Nickmack - thanks for your suggestions however I can tell you that I have had trouble sleeping for months now and tried everything, from exercising until I could barely get up (haha) to staying away from sugar and caffeine for days. Nothing has worked except pot. It's frustrating.

You know, man I really appreciate the responses very much, individually! I appreciate you, Tapero, and the verse you thought of.

Maybe it comes down to knowing ourselves, knowing if we have addictive personalities (such thing?) and then staying away from the things that keep trying to grab our attention away from God ... Perhaps. That seems pretty idealistic.

 

[NickMack88]

Thanks so much for the replies!

Ephraimanesti, yesterday I read through some of the replies you had to this issue on the forum and I hope you know how beneficial your comments are - the time you spend giving advice and info to the people on here is not forgotten!!! That's a beautiful prayer and I know it's the right one.

Nickmack - thanks for your suggestions however I can tell you that I have had trouble sleeping for months now and tried everything, from exercising until I could barely get up (haha) to staying away from sugar and caffeine for days. Nothing has worked except pot. It's frustrating.

You know, man I really appreciate the responses very much, individually! I appreciate you, Tapero, and the verse you thought of.

Maybe it comes down to knowing ourselves, knowing if we have addictive personalities (such thing?) and then staying away from the things that keep trying to grab our attention away from God ... Perhaps. That seems pretty idealistic.

your welcome, and to be honest i dont sleep much either, i'm an insomniac, i have weird sleeping patterns, i can lye in bed and my eyes would be wide awake for atleast an hour...

very frustrating indeed, but i would never turn to pot... .

 

[Mr.Cheese]

The way you described it, you are still abusing a controlled substance for which you do not have a prescription.

Do you suffer from any kind of depression or other mood/emotional disorders? it is not unusual for people to "self-medicate" in situations like this, even if they are not aware of any kind of issues they may have. I can see how if you are in pain, and marijuana takes that pain away, why wouldn't you want to use it?

I usually see drug abuse as a symptom of an underlying problem rather than a problem in and of itself. You may not be addicted, but you may have developed a psychological dependency. pain. smoke. relief. Pain comes again, smoke helped last time. smoke again. relief. it gets easier and easier, like a cycle as your brain finds it more and more acceptable. Now, whenever a bad spell happens, it is natural to want to go to the source of relief. It's conditioning.

I think there are worse things a person can do in life. Meh. i've got to go to class.

*hug*

 

[xBladesx]

Hi darlatwizzlesticks

Remember the Word says "There is now now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus"

When we become saved we still may battle with the same issues we battled with before that.
With me it was my Temper.

Sometimes you may get it right beating your weakness, sometimes you may not.
What we all have to do is come to The Father and lay our weakness at His feat.
Then ask for His strength to conquer our weakness.
He will be faithfull to help you through it

It may be a process it may be be instant, but the secret is hang in there and don't give up.

NB. Don't try to do it in your own strength. The chance of failing is a lot greater, trust me, I've been there.

Remember that God knew all our screw ups even before we were born.
But He still loved us so much He sent His Son to die for our sins.

Lastly as far as getting high is concerned, the Bible isn't very clear about it.
However remember that spiritual warfare mostly takes place in our mind and clouding our thoughts by getting high can make us quite vulnarable spiritually.

I'll be praying for you
Your bro in Christ, Peter aka xBladesx

 

[thejdubb02]

Everything that one does for oneselves is a sin. By giving love and helping others we obey by Gods law.

And that's basically your answer to why you are feeling guilty when smoking pot, because its selfish comittment to ones own pleasure instead of putting God on throne you have put cannabis on it. Try to quit,and stop smoking pot as much as possible. It hasn't helped you 'relax' at all, if you where relaxed about it you wouldn't have posted about it in here in the first place.

Plain and simple... I agree. I am currently going through this with one of my best friends... he chose pot over his friends and everything else. God is first... not smoking.

Good luck.

- Justin

 

[Im-revived]

I can see from what youve written that this is one issue youve struggled with for a while. And youve asked a very sensible question, before being a Christian I smoked pot, and to be honest I still smoke cigarrettes but not pot. I have the same feeling about cigarrettes like you have about the pot and I know its wrong.

In the bible there is a chapter, sorry I can't quote it, but I know and heard it being spoken about in a sermon or talk. Although I can't quote were it is I can tell you what it was about, so it may be an idea to ask someone at church were it is in the bible were it talks about our bodys being clean, and about the temple keeping clean, temple is the word used in the certain chapter in this case relating to the body. Our bodies need to stay whole and clean, and although it doesn't say, you shouldn't smoke or have Pot. It does explain how ungodly things like this can ruin the temple. Like I said I've tried stopping smoking many times, but not managed it, it doesn't happen over night. Particularly with substance use like pot or illegal drugs. I look at your pot issue and like we both know having something like that does not leave you clear headed, God wants you ready to do his will and be able to listen at anytime, under this influence God can't work. For example if you see an absolute drunken person, lying on the floor, you may ask him to stand, but try to get him to walk in a straight line, no chance, he cannot do what you ask him at all. If God did the same to you and you were stoned, you couldn't respond to what God wants you to do, because your mind is full of ungodly things you have put in your body. Our bodys/temples are the Lords and need to be kept clean. Like I said I still struggle with smoking but as yet not managed to totally give this one to God. Ive been a Christian 11 yrs, but I have found that if I do anything however long it takes that is off a christian nature I don't even think off a cigarrette. Its the outside, ungodly things in the world that tempt us, and for many can take time.

Im-revived

I would love to receive feedback about this issue, it's something that I think is easier to talk about on an online forum ...

I have been a christian for five years, and when I became a christian I had a real guilt complex about my enjoyment of smoking pot. When I made the decision to become a Christian, I thought that the decision had to walk hand-in-hand with me stopping smoking cigarrettes, drinking and smoking pot (which makes some sense) and it was easy for awhile because of how close I felt to God. I felt that nothing compared to what I was experiencing with God and that the bible says not to do certain things, I wouldn't do it. Period.

I have "fallen back" to smoking a few times throughout these past years, usually when my faith's in a dry spell, but I have found that especially now since I am having trouble sleeping due to stress, pot is the only thing that helps me relax. The guilt complex is coming back and I have found it hard to pray without feeling scared that I might be knowing it's a sin, but going against God anyways. I don't want to be defiant, but the thing is, I don't even know anymore if it's a sin. I am aware of the verses in the bible about following the law in general and the verses in the bible about not being drunk, but both of these points are challengeable. Smoking pot is legal for people who need it for medicinal purposes and legal for everyone to use in certain countries, and being high isn't the same (technically) as being drunk. Forgive me for being challenging if you think differently, it's just me trying to wrestle with the issue.

It bothers me to have to keep it a secret, because obviously not a lot of christians accept pot-smoking (whether or not they have been faced with the mindset of someone who uses it for medicinal purposes). People that know me know that I have wrestled with this issue for a long time, but are unaware that I am using it on a daily basis. Should I be secretive? If I am not, I think a lot of the christians would think that there's something wrong with me. Maybe there is. I believe in God just as much as before and I long to know him just as much as before, but I guess someone could think that I have fallen away from my relationship with him if I can't grasp the fact that smoking pot is a sin.

I don't know if it's addiction, but I know that I feel stressed out when I think of running out. I have stayed away from drugs for periods lasting up to one year, how could it be an addiction? I'm totally confused.

Any thoughts? Thanks for reading! I appreciate your comments very much, if any are to be left!