When people relapse after receiving addiction treatment, they need all the help they can get to sustain their sobriety.
After relapsing, the next couple of decisions they take determines if they can still maintain their sobriety or fall back fully into their addiction.
This is why the church needs to step in fast when any member of the fold returns to their addiction.
Here are some of the ways the church can care for individuals who relapse.
Pray for and with them
Prayer is an effective means to get things done. It is the primary way of communicating with God and making our thanksgiving, worship, and requests to him.
The church needs to pray for anyone who managed to get out of addiction treatment but ended up relapsing.
Doing this would be important in strengthening the faith and will of the individual not to give up. Similarly, the church needs to pray with the individual.
When brethren of the same mind and spirit pray together, mighty things happen.
Provided the prayer is consistent, the individual would find it easier to fight off addiction as time goes on.
Support them with counseling
Another way to care for people who relapse is to provide them with professional counseling.
This is a much-needed phase where they need to understand what made them revisit their addictive habits, and how they can get back on track.
Counseling also teaches them some important coping strategies to help them fight off cravings and triggers the next time they appear.
Encourage them to keep trusting God
Anyone who relapses might be demotivated, and they may feel like they have disappointed God. However, it is the responsibility of the church to tell them not to give up.
They also need to be reminded that God loves them but hates sin. So, they can give it one more shot, and be sure that their sobriety will be sustained permanently.