And what did it mean " Have you ( Jesus ) come to torment us BEFORE our time."
this to me speaks to the pov of the addict, which is i guess why that analogy worked for me (at least for now). Obviously Jesus did not come to torment anyone, right, and so i remember being an addict, and knowing that my salvation lied in Not Being Addicted--essentially another name for Christ iow--but at the same time also resisting, and feeling that i was being "tormented" by social workers or whatever, like that, "before my time," because i wanted to keep using of course, and quit "tomorrow."
So, this is just a perspective, and if it doesn't work for you then you'll come upon one that will, and fwiw it might not look anything like the addict scenario, at least on some level. I've heard people with weight issues relate scenarios here that have to do with food instead of drugs, for instance. But really the spiritual elements don't change. So, play with the perspective shifts imo, iow don't assume the perspective that the Bible is like maybe even encouraging you to take, or at least it will seem like that prolly, put yourself in the various other perspectives as well.
I mean how about the townspeople surrounding the possessed man? Why would they be "fearful" after seeing the possessed guy in his right mind? And wanting Jesus to leave? Shouldn't they be overjoyed, and begging Him to stay?
but those are my questions, and i don't mean to sidetrack you lol, you should def reflect upon the questions that you have in a passage, and not someone else's imo.