481: The Christian Addiction No One Talks About. Stephen McWhirter on Numbing with Ministry, The Bitterness We Carry in Our Bodies, and Becoming a Resting Place for Chaos

There are ways Christians escape that don’t look like rebellion. They look like busyness. Performance. Endless content. Religious activity. We stay “engaged,” but we are quietly numb. And over time, that numbness settles into the body as anxiety, irritability, and bitterness we don’t know how to name. This week on Win Today, Stephen McWhirter joins me to discuss the socially acceptable ways believers avoid reality and why those patterns keep us stuck. Stephen’s story is raw. He grew up in a violent home, ran hard from God through addiction and self-destruction, and encountered the presence of the Lord in a moment that changed everything. We explore how trauma and rebellion can coexist with spiritual language, how bitterness lodges itself in the body, and what it means to become a resting place for chaos rather than a reactor to it. This episode isn’t about shame. It’s about sobriety. If you’ve been medicating pain with distraction, ministry, content, or noise, this conversation will help you confront what you’ve been avoiding and rediscover what it means to be radically restored.

You’ll learn:

• The socially acceptable ways Christians escape instead of heal
• Why numbness often hides beneath religious activity
• How bitterness shows up physically in the body
• What it means to become a non-anxious presence in chaos
• How encountering the presence of God breaks cycles of addiction and avoidance

Guest Bio

Stephen McWhirter is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader known for his powerful testimony of transformation and his passion for helping others encounter God’s presence. After growing up in a tumultuous home and spending years in addiction and rebellion, Stephen experienced a radical encounter with Christ that reshaped his life and calling. He now leads worship and shares his story nationally, pointing people toward healing, identity, and freedom in Jesus.

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Resources Mentioned This Week

• Radically Restored: How Knowing Jesus Heals Our Brokenness
• Healing What You Can’t Erase: Transform Your Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health from the Inside Out

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