A Struggle with Self-Adulation and the Cure for Performance Addiction

In an honest and heartfelt confession, Robbie Reider of Crossroads Church recounts his battle with the allure of self-gratification and the transformative power of embracing true sonship. His journey serves as a poignant reminder of the insidious nature of performance addiction and the liberating embrace of God’s unconditional love.

Early in Robbie’s worship-leading journey, he admitted to succumbing to a “church collar crime,” a term he aptly coined to describe the subtle yet destructive pursuit of personal glory amidst a sacred calling. He candidly confesses to seeking accolades and basking in the applause of others, finding validation in the fleeting approval of the crowd.

This unhealthy pattern, he acknowledges, stemmed from a deep-seated emptiness, a void that only the attention and admiration of others could temporarily fill. The absence of these external affirmations left him feeling hollow and unfulfilled.

Signs of Spiritual Cancer

His poignant observation, “If you’re watching this and you have an ache in you when you’re not on stage, take note. That is a sign of a deep cancer,” serves as a stark warning to those who may be unknowingly entangled in the snare of performance addiction.

With unwavering conviction, he asserts,

“There’s a cure for that cancer. And it’s trading slavery to performance. The need for approval from people like you, from people like strangers I don’t even know. Trading that for sonship.”

Adoption Into God’s Family

The cure, Robbie eloquently explains, lies in embracing the profound truth of adoption, recognizing that we are not orphans striving for a place at the table but beloved children of God, secure in His love and acceptance.

His journey from self-absorption to selfless service offers a beacon of hope for those wrestling with similar struggles. It is a testament to the transformative power of surrendering one’s ego and embracing the liberating grace of God’s unconditional love.

In essence, his message is a call to authenticity, a poignant reminder that genuine fulfillment lies not in the pursuit of external validation but in the embrace of our true identity as God’s children, called to serve and not to be served.

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