It's long ago been painfully pointed out that necessity is the mother of invention. The Bible suggests the universe itself originally came into being -- not because GOD was in a happy, playful, expansive mood -- but because GOD was lonely. Creation is not an independent positive force within nature but rather the miraculous, last-minute consequence of its unrelenting harshness.
Now, greed and petty desire are not the same as necessity. That is to say, nature can't be fooled. Nothing less than back-against-the-wall desperation will produce creative results. Only when faced with certain destruction will creation occur.
This paradox brings us to another painful, age old truth: The Devil's in the details.
No matter how ingeniously clever and uniquely useful -- and therefore beautiful -- an invention may seem, it owes its very existence to an ugly desperation and dire need, thus a close examination of the beautiful new thing will reveal compromise and corruption.
"Up from the ashes" . . . That's always been the character of the universe -- the nature of nature, if you will -- and until the universe itself is faced with destruction, it presumably won't change. Change is not a consequence of living and growing -- it's a consequence of dying and death.
It was in this context that your cigarette smoking began.
Your smoking habit was a novel and inventive (albeit devilishly dangerous) path to a world of new things. Born out of necessity -- not idleness or carelessness, but out of necessity -- your cigarette addiction was an expression of your universe. Like a lonely GOD, you created the smoking, and cannot now simply separate yourself from all your invention has inspired.
You can physically stop smoking by sheer physical restraint. It's in nature's character to tear down a built-up addiction. Although uncomfortable, it's physically easier to stop smoking than to start! But if you're to truly change -- transition the original need that resulted in smoking -- you'll have to put your back against the wall.
If YOU are to triumph over the once real necessity to smoke (go back and tell yourself "it was okay"), YOU will have to confront the devil -- and he's right there in the beautiful world you've built. There's no question it. And half-steps or half-hearted shots will not work. By all means, put on a patch or chew gum, but face the mother of the invention head on. Confront each evil detail that makes itself apparent to YOU . . . the YOU who has replaced your neediness with your forgiveness.
