How to Break a Spending Addiction

In our Life Apps series at The Bridge this summer, we are taking questions via texting and answering them with a panel. Because we could not get to all of the questions this last week, I am blogging all week to respond to some of the submitted questions that were not addressed in the service

How can I control my spending habits on the internet? The temptations kick, but I continue to pray and read Bible verses.

    Temptation to overspend on the internet is similar to temptations to overspend in other ways. When we give in to any temptation repeatedly, the activity becomes a habit and in some cases, even an addiction.
    Breaking these kinds of life-dominating sins usually takes dramatic action. That’s what Jesus was talking about when he said, “If your hand offends you, cut it off….if your eye offends you, pluck it out.” While I do believe those statement were hyperbolic, it does speak of something I call "radical amputation."
    Some sins that have a hold on us are so problematic that it takes radical action on our part, and the painful removal of things in our lives that make it too easy to give in.
    For some, it may mean the removal of a friend or group of friends that influence us in the wrong way. It almost always means confession to key people and surrounding ourselves with accountability.
    In your struggle, it may mean that you will have to get rid of your computer at home, at least for a time. It will also be important for you to involve a key Christian friend/mentor or loved one, someone you can share your budget with and spending records so that they can hold you accountable.
    We are rarely able to defeat these kinds of life-dominating sins without doing something radical and painful. I know it feels like we all have become dependent on internet access at home, but I have known many people who have gotten rid of it in order to break the hold of an addiction. With many, it is not only an initial first step towards victory, it is also a vital step to that end.
    So my suggestion for you would be to first go to someone you can trust who will also follow through on holding you accountable, and share with them your struggle, and your financial information so that they can follow-up with you to monitor your progress. Secondly, in some way limit your access to your most frequently visited shopping sites, even if that means storing your computer at someone else’s house for a couple of months. Through all this, spend time with God in his Word and in prayer. If you are willing to run from the temptation and resist it, while trusting God, he will give you the strength to overcome.