Understanding Sexual Temptation Sample

Day 4: You need to be “spent.”

Research shows that workaholics often experience low sex drives. The same is true of people who engage in demanding exercise routines. One reason for this correlation is depleted testosterone by too much work and lack of rest. While depleting our testosterone because of overwork is a bad thing, this also shows that God gives us many ways to direct the energy that may be experienced as a sexual drive. 

Testosterone is a “green light” hormone in the body that plays a role in risk taking, competitive behaviors, energy, and concentration. While the impact of testosterone is greater in men than women, both genders experience a higher libido as testosterone increases. Although it’s a bit more complicated than this, think of testosterone as a regularly-generated fuel that burns up when you “spend” it. 

God gave us testosterone and other brain chemicals not only for their role in sex, but also as a natural means of prompting us to impact our world in meaningful ways. One of the greatest correlations for people battling pornography is boredom and a lack of purpose. When you wake up every day to exciting projects and challenges, you are addressing your emotional and biological need to have an impact in the world. You may also find that, by the end of the day, you are too tired to think about sex!

Clues that this might be underlying your sexual desire: Do you experience more sexual temptation when you are bored?  Do you feel challenged in your everyday activities (including work, hobbies, service)? Do you regularly engage in vigorous exercise to the point of feeling a “good tired” by the end of the day? 

Address this need by: pursuing challenges (if your work isn’t challenging, pick up a new hobby or project); getting involved in a volunteer activity that stretches you out of your comfort zone; making plans to exercise when you typically feel most tempted. 

As you read through the passages for today’s devotional, think about what these verses teach you about the importance of spending your life on what matters.