Day 13

Not Again!

When Andrew told his pastor about his struggle with porn, his pastor gave him a formula for success:

Spiritual Disciplines + Boundaries + Accountability = Freedom

Andrew did it all. But he still could not break free.

After repeated attempts and failures, Andrew concluded that there must be something wrong and unfixable with him. He started giving up hope of ever getting free. When Andrew learned about a holistic approach, he gave recovery another shot. Andrew has been free for three years now.

If Andrew and thousands of others can see a turnaround, so can you! You are not stuck in your current situation. You can get out of it! Change is possible for you or for those you are helping.

Today’s Challenge:   

1. Read through the passage below.   
2. Answer the questions.

“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. - Romans 7:18-23

God is not surprised one bit by our struggle and neither should we be surprised when we or a friend does something that goes against their own conscience. If the Apostle Paul was doing things he didn't approve of, don't you think we will as well? This doesn’t justify sin, but it does help us understand our weakness. It should help us see our need for the help of God and others. We must not settle for staying stuck. Paul didn’t. Andrew didn’t. We shouldn’t either. Genuine freedom is possible. There is a path to victory and we are called by God to take that path.

Reflection Questions:   

1. In the passage, what challenge does the author—Paul—find himself in?   
2. How can you relate to this in terms of your sexual behavior?  
3. Paul said that this other law is "waging war" against his mind and making him a prisoner of sin. Why do you think a holistic approach to breaking free from sexual addiction is essential in light of this reality? 

Don’t underestimate how God wants to grow and develop you or the people you are helping through the process of finding freedom. This is what we mean when we say, "you don't just quit a porn addiction, you must outgrow it".

How are your holy habits?

#1 Confession

#2 Daily Bible Reading and Prayer