Ever find yourself dependent on others?
Do you wait for others to encourage you instead of encouraging yourself?
Do you avoid making decisions? Do you leave it up to others to decide for you?
Do you find it difficult to communicate in certain relationships?
Do you allow the behavior of others to affect how you feel?
As we are nearing the end of 2017 it is time to break free of codependency.
Codependency is a term used to describe the unhealthy relationship fostered with someone who is suffering from an addiction where you become a prisoner of your own life because of your need to be loved, accepted or feel loving.
You may be codependent if you:
1) Put up with stress, pressure, and pain of addictive behavior
2) Feel responsibility to fix, control or rescue from the addiction
3) Lie, deny, make excuses, cover up, protect from the consequences
4) Blame yourself for your loved one’s behavior
5) Make threats to do something about it but never follow through
6) Allow yourself or your kids to be abused
7) Nag, criticize, or argue constantly with no resolution
8) Get defensive if family or friends suggest that there is a problem
Get a pencil or a pen and begin to look at each area and write out what may be causing you to experience codependency. Identify the stress in your life. What pressure are you facing? List your addictive behaviors. Identify why you take on the responsibility to fix, control or rescue others. List your fears. What is the view you have of yourself? It’s time to be free.
Today, get an accurate understanding of what true love is and press toward being free. (1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Let’s talk. What do you need to break free?
