Thank you for your letter—and thank you also for what you and others like you are doing to help troubled families. Yours isn’t an easy job, and I pray that God will give you His wisdom and strength.

Yes, gambling has become widely accepted today—but almost every week I get at least one letter from someone whose life has been torn apart by gambling. Like alcohol or drugs, gambling can become a strong and compelling addiction for some people—and when it does, it inevitably brings destruction and sorrow in its path.

Why is this? One reason is because gambling appeals to one of our most powerful and destructive drives: greed. The Bible says greed is a sin and warns us to be on guard against it. Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

If you are reading this and you have become ensnared by gambling or you know someone who has, don’t ignore it or hope it will just go away—for it won’t. Instead, admit your problem and then get help for it. Begin by giving yourself to Christ and asking Him to come into your life. Then ask Him to lead you to others who can help you turn your back on gambling.