I started smoking at the age of twenty and this vice really "imprisoned" me during the height of my being "with the World." From a stick each meal my smoking habit even reached to two packs a day even on normal times and would even go higher during drinking sessions. The craving was irresistible by the time I was in the 30's and I felt I was addicted already. I developed what they call "a smoker's cough," and such cough would come frequently. I was not alarmed but reasoned out, it was normal, just as other smokers told me. Although I felt some people, even my family, would through malicious eyes on me whenever they sensed the odor of smoke from my shirts, I did not seem to care. By that time, I haven't thought of stopping until I reached the turning point.My first attempt of quitting was during a drinking session when out of nothing at all my drinking buddies threw a challenge as to whom among us could manage to stop smoking. I bet I could make it so I stand to my belief "I was God myself" and could control my own body. I made it in one year without tobacco. But I returned to puffing smoke again and said to myself its really hard. Well, I thought, there was no reason I should stop; I was well, I could afford it; my friends do the same; and it was a pleasure.
But the challenge came to me again a few months after my conversion from atheism and my immersion in the evangelistic mission and bringing people to closer relationship with God. It evolved during a talk delivered by an elder of my Christian support group. The talk made mention of the manifestations of the gift of the Holy Spirit and stated that if I am really serious in changing my ways I could do it with the guidance of God's power. By eliminating just a single vice I could show proof of my own commitment to change. "Why not?" I told myself then.
Medications of all medications was what I used to fight the craving. I prayed and meditated and asked God to help me survive the temptations. And yes, He did helped me. I am now on my third year as quitter of smoking.
I realized that no matter how determined a person is in stopping or fighting a vice, he would be unsuccessful without Spiritual guidance. This case maybe unique for me, but I guess it could be replicated with other cases if they would use the same medication I used and that is, I say it again, guidance of the "Holy Spirit."
Image taken from www.stopsmokingsteps.com