Proverbs 23:35 (ESV)
“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt;
they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake?
I must have another drink.”
There are many bad things about addiction and over indulgence in alcohol. The list would be long as to the sin and pain that comes from this type of vice. In the above proverb we have one that often is overlooked. In this proverb Solomon tells us that one of the bad traits to drinking too much is a lost of sensitivity to the other bad things. Perhaps the only thing worse then indulging in an activity that always has bad outcomes is to indulge in that activity and have the activity dull your senses to the bad things of the activity. Those who are caught in the web of over drinking find themselves lacking the sense to notice the pain that comes with it. Being "struck" and not seeing the results right away causes long term problems. But, that is what Solomon is telling us in the first line. Even though the drink is "beating" him sick he only worries about getting up from being passed out to find another drink. Having your senses dull to the pain of the thing that is dulling the senses is an amazing problem. Only through faith in God's Word can we find release from this type of addiction. Only when we allow God to open our eyes of faith and close our eyes of flesh will we see the damage the flesh brings. The flesh wants satisfaction now. Faith finds its satisfaction in obedience and will wait for ultimate rest. If you are caught in the indulgence of food, drink, power, or materialism, seek release through faith. It matters not if it is alcohol that chains you with desires of the flesh. Chains are chains. God is opening our eyes through faith to see the pain of these things. Without faith we will fall victim to pain we don't even see.
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