I was a naughty boy when I was young, but my grades always seemed to pull me through. I was fortunate enough to get into a good junior high school, but it was during high school that I ran into a problem, a big problem.

It wasn’t too long ago that the Internet became available and popular in China. Before that time, I had never used the Internet, but I loved computer games very much. I remember clearly that it was a sunny summer afternoon when I began to “surf the net” in my father’s office at his work whenever he was gone. I loved it because I could find whatever I wanted, and even chat with others. I kept “surfing” until late at night, and when I finally noticed the time, I was frightened, because my parents would be angry that I was getting home so late. And to make matters worse, I had not finished my homework yet. I ran very fast to get home, and when I arrived, my parents only asked if I needed anything. They thought I was looking for something useful for one of my classes on the Internet, totally unaware of my addiction.

I continued going to my father’s office when he wasn’t there to surf the net, and I happened to find an online game that was fascinating. In the beginning, I would finish my homework first, but as I became more and more addicted, I spent more and more time playing Internet games. Finally, I spent all my available time playing online games, which began to lead to more problems. My grades got worse and my parents finally discovered that I was playing computer games in my father’s office. They were very angry, but they didn’t beat me. Instead, they talked with me and told me that I could no longer go to my father’s office.

Although I had lost access to the Internet from my father’s office, my addiction still existed. When I sat in the classroom, I was totally bored, which finally led to skipping class so that I could go to a local net bar. Of course, my grades began to drop, and it wasn’t too long before my parents and my teacher discovered the problem. To try and keep me away from the net bar, they reached an agreement that when I was absent from home or school, they would contact each other as soon as possible. I was no longer able to gain access to the Internet, and gradually, my attention was back on my studies. But unfortunately, my addiction never left me.

Going away to college, I wasn’t bound by the restrictions that my parents placed on me, and so I returned to playing Internet games whenever I wanted. But something happened during my sophomore year. It was a sunny day, and I kept playing games from morning to night. About 9:00pm, I suddenly had a feeling that the game I was playing was really quite boring, and I wanted to do something meaningful and useful. So, I stopped playing games and started using the Internet to look for information about what I was studying in my classes. Incredibly, on the following day, I went to a professor’s lab, asked to be his apprentice, and I was accepted.

My story is unlike many stories that tell of a dramatic event that ended someone’s addition. For me, it happened quite unexpectedly when the conviction simply came over me that my life was valuable and should be spent in more meaningful ways rather than wasting it playing games on the Internet. And once that realization entered my heart, my addiction simply disappeared. I worked hard during my remaining years in college, and to my amazement, I was accepted to work on my PhD at one of China’s top universities. Although I was once a slave to Internet games, I have been set free to pursue my dreams.

Additional Comments – As we all know, addiction comes in many forms and through many and varied sources. Interestingly, the addiction to Internet games was not just a problem for this student, but for many of our other students who would share with us about how the Internet had adversely affected their lives.

Although definitions vary, most agree that an addiction is a persistent and compulsive dependence on a substance or a behavior. For this student, it was about allowing a particular behavior to control his life. I am aware that for many, the path to “freedom” is long and arduous, but for some, it is instantaneous, like this student who told his story. Regardless of how it comes, freedom is the end goal for those who want to escape their addiction.

Jesus understood bondage better than any of us. He knew the power of addiction and the need to be set free from anything that dominates and controls our lives. He was clear on the fact that anyone who lives a life characterized by sin is actually the slave of sin (Jn. 8:34) and they need to be set free. But how can this be accomplished?

First, Jesus spoke of knowing “Truth” through the words He has spoken, and then if we apply His truth to our own lives, “…the truth will set us free” (Jn. 8:31-32). But then Jesus continued, “If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). So, it’s actually both: “the truth” sets us free and so does “the Son.” Interestingly, Jesus said that He was “the way, the truth, and the life; and that no one can come to the Father but through Him” (Jn. 14:6). Jesus not only spoke the truth, but He also embodied that truth in His very being. And so, Jesus, the One who is Truth, is the only One who can set us free from the power of sin in our lives.   

The Apostle Paul also understood bondage and slavery. He speaks of “presenting ourselves” to either sin or to God, and that life is about choosing which one we will serve. If we choose a life of sin, we soon discover that it is a ruthless and cruel taskmaster that destroys us from within, and it will continue to do so until Jesus, the “Bondage Breaker,” sets us free (Rom. 6:12-18).

I am convinced that whether our addictions are subtle and relatively harmless, or obvious and destructive, they all keep us away from our true calling to serve and honor God. He created us to glorify Him with our lives. The Apostle Paul encourages each one of us to “…present our bodies to God as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our true act of worship” (Rom. 12:1). Contrary to what many believe, true worship is not about “going to church on Sundays,” but it’s about laying down our lives as a holy sacrifice to God each and every day of the week.

The One who breaks the chains of addiction can set you free from the power of sin, and He can do it today. His name is Jesus. Just call upon Him in faith, and He will do it.