Day 110 - Compulsive Behaviors

365 daily emails to help you through the grieving process Grief support groups: Click here to find a GriefShare group near you. If you would like to find a group for a friend or relative, try our Search Page. Want to read ahead or resend a previous daily email? Click Here Compulsive Behaviors Day 110 A compulsive behavior is an activity you feel compelled to do excessively in order to distract yourself from the pain. It is something you do to avoid grief. Many people associate compulsive behaviors with negative actions such as overeating, not eating, drinking too much alcohol, or abusing drugs. But compulsive behaviors can also include activities that are normally thought of as good—working, cleaning, serving at church, or remodeling the house. These behaviors become compulsive when a person continues to overdo an activity to avoid the pain. A compulsive behavior “always offers more than it provides,” says Dr. John Trent. Therefore, you might keep increasing your activity or behavior to find that original satisfaction and comfort, which is now elusive. “Genuine healing from grief,” says Dr. Trent, “comes not in an artificial climate, which all those are—activity or drugs or whatever, it comes through the reality of knowing Jesus Christ.” Honor God with your behavior, and know that true satisfaction is found in Him. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Lord Jesus, I want to know You. Dwell within me as I seek to honor You with my actions and behaviors. Amen. Grieving with Hope This GriefShare-based book contains short, topical chapters addressing issues that grieving people face but are often hesitant to mention to others; it gently guides people to determine whether they're grieving in a way that leads to hope and ultimate healing. Look for Grieving with Hope by Samuel Hodges and Kathy Leonard at a local or online bookstore or at griefshare.org/hope. If you would like to recommend these daily emails to a friend, please click here and choose one of the options under Share. For more information about GriefShare, including how to sign up for these daily emails, please click here. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2003-2013 by The Church Initiative, Inc., All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without explicit permission in writing from Church Initiative. You subscribed to this daily email through www.griefshare.org. We value your privacy! We will never give, sell, rent, or otherwise share your email or personal information with any other organization — EVER. To remove this email address from further mailings Click Here while connected to the internet. If you have any problems or concerns, please contact dailyemailsupport@griefshare.org. GriefShare 250 S. Allen Rd. Wake Forest, NC 27587 (800) 395-5755