I once counselled a client who happened to be a gambling addict. Like most of them, they seek counselling when it’s already too late – when the money is all gone. At this stage, most gamblers would be regretting what they have done: “I should have listened more to my friends”, “I should have stopped when I had the chance”, “if only I stopped when I had the money.” All these verbal regrets, though usually are just automatic responses, are still music to the counsellor’s ears. It’s a clear sign of awareness of one’s fault and it’s a verbal sign of admitting to one’s mistake. Clients who show these signs usually cooperate with their friends and counsellors on how to move on, settle their debts and get their lives back. This is what we counsellors want for our clients of gambling addiction.
What is unusually terrifying with some clients is their ability to rationalize their failures in gambling as mere delayed blessings of The Lord. “The Lord will bless me” he would boldly declare, or “The money is coming, in God’s name” or worse, “the blessings are coming now, if I stop I just stop the blessings from coming.” My friends, DO NOT give in to these people or clients. They may seem to be a person of faith, but they are merely hiding behind their faith to: 1. Get confidence and justification in gambling and 2. Rationalize their failures.
This is not faith but a misinterpretation of God’s word; it is a denial of what really is. Check out Proverbs 10:22 (One of my favorite verses): “The blessing of The LORD brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.” The meaning is clear cut: The LORD will NEVER drive you to bankruptcy. Don’t let your counselees use God to justify their destructive behaviors. If God really anointed this man for gambling (if God will ever anoint anyone for gambling) then these ‘anointed gamblers’ would prosper and not be bankrupt, depressed, and most certainly not be a burden to his family and friends.
The Lord’s blessings are given to us freely through the death of Christ, Jesus (Romans 8:32). If you (or your clients) are experiencing hardship, suffering, failures and frustrations from work (or gambling), then know that this mandate is not from The Lord but from human pride. This is the truth that our clients should know and believe. They have to stop gambling NOW, it is not God’s way of prospering us (Proverbs 21:5). It will lead to nowhere but poverty.
“Ask and you shall receive, The Lord through His grace will prosper us, but it is through His way of Life and not through the world’s inferior way of gambling.”
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