You Can Overcome Problems That Damage a Family

Continue with WHAT CAN THE FAMILY DO?

Do not feel that you must always shield the alcoholic from the consequences of his drinking.   A Bible proverb about someone in a rage could apply equally to the alcoholic:  "If you would deliver him, you will also keep doing it again and again."  (Proverbs 19:19)  Let the alcoholic feel the effects of his drinking. Let him clean up after himself or call his employer the morning after a drinking episode.

Accept help from others.   Proverbs 17:17 says:  "A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress."  When there is an alcoholic in your family, there is distress.  You need help. Do not hesitate to rely on 'true companions' for support.  (Proverbs 18:24)  Talking with others who understand the problem or who have faced a similar situation may provide you with practical suggestions on what to do and what not to do.  But be balanced. Speak with those you trust, those who will protect your "confidential talk." - Proverbs 11:13. 

Learn to trust Christian elders.  The elders in the Christian congregation can be a great source of help.  These mature men are educated in God's  Word and experienced in the application of its principles. They can prove to be "like a hiding place from the wind and a place of concealment from the rain storm, like streams of water in a waterless country, like the shadow of a heavy crag in an exhausted land."  (Isaiah 32:2) Not only do Christian elders protect  the congregation as a whole from harmful influences but they also comfort, refresh, and take a personal interest in individuals who have problems. Take full advantage of their help. 

Next time: You Can Overcome Problems That Damage a Family/Conclusion of WHAT CAN THE FAMILY DO?

From the book:  The Secret of FAMILY HAPPINESS