Medicating Pain: Escape vs Finding Peace

We all seek comfort. Whether it’s a warm meal, a favorite show, or a moment of distraction, comfort can feel like a refuge from the chaos of life. But what happens when comfort becomes a crutch—when it’s no longer a momentary relief, but a strategy for survival?

In Be Transformed – New Life Awaits by John Robin Murphy, John shares how his early emotional wounds led him to seek comfort in food, pornography, and achievement. These behaviors weren’t random—they were attempts to medicate the deep pain of rejection, shame, and worthlessness that had taken root in his heart.

By age 12, John weighed over 200 pounds. Food had become a way to numb the emotional torment. Later, pornography and performance-based accomplishments joined the list. Each behavior offered a temporary escape, but none brought healing. Instead, they reinforced the lie that he was unlovable and inadequate.

This is the spiritual danger of medicating pain: it replaces God’s healing with temporary relief. It’s a counterfeit comfort that never satisfies. The Bible warns us not to turn to idols, yet many of us unknowingly do so when we seek peace in things that cannot heal our hearts.

John’s breakthrough came when he recognized these behaviors as symptoms—not solutions. He began to see that his heart needed healing, not distraction. Through surrender, prayer, and counseling, he invited God into the places he had tried to hide. The result was transformation—not just of behavior, but of identity.

One of the most powerful moments in John’s journey was when he realized that even as a Christian, he had returned to old comfort-seeking patterns. Television, once a harmless pastime, had become an idol. It was a way to escape the discomfort of spiritual dryness. But instead of bringing peace, it created distance from God.

This realization led to a decision: to surrender the idol and trust God for comfort. It wasn’t easy. The temptation to return to old habits was strong. But through repentance and reliance on the Holy Spirit, John experienced freedom. He discovered that true peace doesn’t come from escape—it comes from presence. God’s presence.

If you find yourself medicating pain with comfort-seeking behaviors, ask yourself: What am I trying to avoid? What wound am I trying to soothe? God doesn’t condemn your need for comfort—He invites you to find it in Him. His peace is lasting. His healing is complete.