Defeat Lust & Pornography
Defeat Lust & Pornography 14 minute read

19 Possible Motives Triggering Your Porn Consumption

Last Updated: November 5, 2021

Often triggers and motive are treated as two distinct things, and there are differences. But those differences are more akin to two sides of the same coin than apples and oranges. In this post we’ll examine the things that trigger your sexual sin and the motives attached to those triggers. As you identify the trigger-motive for your sexual sin, we also want you to begin to see how you are treating your sin like a friend, ally, refuge, etc. These insights are essential for repentance to make sense as a central part of change. Unless we see how our sin seeks to replace God in our life, then our need to be made right with God comes across as if God is unduly hung up about our sexuality. 

Your struggle with sexual addiction doesn’t start with your behavior. It begins with what you want, what you live for. – David Powlison in Sexual Addiction (p. 6)

1. Boredom (Sin as My Joy)

When boredom is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin has become our joy. When there is a moment to be filled with something of our choosing, we pursue sin to fill the void rather than God or any of His legitimate pleasures. We begin to lose our appetite for godly pleasure like the child who eats sweets stops wanting healthy food. Even as they feel sluggish from the ups and downs of sugary “treats” they fail to connect this to their diet but go instead for another sugar high as the “obvious” solution.

Sex is not ultimate… Idols begin as good things to which we give too much importance, and few things slide over into idolatry with greater frequency or greater power than sex. We allow a good gift of God to supersede the God who gave it. Sex is good, even great, but it’s not ultimate. –Tim Challies in Sexual Detox (p. 61)

Read Nehemiah 8:9-12. God is a God of great joys and pleasure. Too often we view God as so serious that we believe “fun” must be in His opposite direction. When God called Israel to repentance through Nehemiah and Ezra, He asked them to express their repentance in celebration. If the motive of boredom leads you to sin, then allow this passage to challenge your view of God. Related resource: Hobbies and Habits-Fighting Porn with Purpose

2. Loneliness (Sin as My Friend)

When loneliness is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our “friend.” Sexual sin is always relational whether the relationship is fictional or physical, so it fits loneliness well. It’s as if our sin (a person, a chat room, or a video) calls to us, “Tell me your troubles.” We gladly pull up a chair and unload. As we do, talking to a real person or one who is not part of our sin becomes too risky. We now fear being judged or known by anyone but our “friend.”

It’s a perfect world that I can create. Things always go exactly my way. People do exactly what I want. I’m always on top. Fantasy is a great ego-feeder. –Anonymous testimony in David Powlison’s Pornography: Slaying the Dragon (p. 19)

Read Proverbs 27:6. During sexual sin we write this proverb backwards. We believe, “Faithful are the kisses of any enemy; profuse are the wounds of a friend.” When sin reverses the roles of friend and enemy, it traps us until we return the right labels to the people in our lives. If the motive of loneliness leads you to sexual sin, then prayerfully examine who or what you call “friend.”

3. Stress (Sin as My Comforter)

When stress is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our comforter. We run to it, her, or him. Sin or our adultery partner makes things better (at least as long as it, she, or he remains hidden and keeps us to themselves). Yet the comfort takes on an addictive quality. The stress from which we are relieved is multiplied by the stress it, she, or he creates. This keeps us in a cycle of stress and returning to a primary source of stress for relief.

We crave intimacy at a relational level. We feel lonely. But we also fear intimacy. We’re not sure we can attain it or be vulnerable enough to handle it. –Tim Chester in Closing the Window (p. 47)

Read John 14:25-31. Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as “the Helper” or “the Comforter” (v. 26) and as the source of peace–distinct from the world’s peace which always returns us to fear (v. 27). If a source of comfort doesn’t allow you to be more real with more people, then it isn’t true comfort. It’s a drug that numbs you before it makes you sick. If the motive of stress leads you to sexual sin, then examine whether your “comfort” is real or a form of relational self-medication.

4. Frustration (Sin as My Peace)

When frustration is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our source of peace. Sin is treated as an “oasis.” When this happens we label sin as our “safe place” as compared to the parts of life that are upsetting. This makes sin our friend and anyone or anything that opposes or interferes with our sin our enemy. Read Romans 16:17-20 and I Thessalonians 5:22-24: Notice each of the passages refer to knowing the God of peace as the alternative to falling into temptations based upon deceitful desires. Where you turn for peace when you are frustrated is the determining variable of your character. Once you declare something or someone as the source of your peace, you will be loyal to and obey it.

5. Fatigue (Sin as My Source of Life)

When fatigue is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our source of life. We turn to sin as our boost to get through the day. The thought of our sin keeps us going when we feel like giving up. The adrenaline of sexual satisfaction (physical or romantic) becomes a drug we use to artificially stimulate ourselves–one we begin to wonder whether we could live without. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18: This passage uses many words that can be synonyms for or create fatigue: afflicted (v. 8), perplexed (v. 8), persecuted (v. 9), struck down (v. 9), and wasting away (v. 16). Fatigue can make you feel alone, and sexual sin becomes your life giving companion. Paul says that it’s only Christ who can be the life in us that counters the fatiguing death around us (v. 10-12). To doubt this truth reveals that we are believing (or at least listening attentively to) lies.

6. Hurt (Sin as My Refuge)

When hurt is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our refuge. In our moments of sinful escape we feel protected from life and a growing allegiance develops towards our sin. In actuality, our sexual sin provides as much protection as a child pulling the covers over his/her head. But in our moment of hurt, we appreciate even the pseudo-refuge of sin compared to the perceived absence of any other refuge. Read Psalm 31: This Psalm alternates between a cry for help and a song of confidence. In this, the Psalm reveals the realness with which Scripture speaks to life. Sexual sin is a pseudo-refuge on demand. Even when we can’t have the sin, we can fantasize about his/her presence. However, the real refuge of God is available through the same type of prayerful-meditative exercise as our fantasy, but it’s actually able to deliver us through the guidance of Scripture, the presence of His Spirit, and the involvement of His people.

7. Betrayal (Sin as My Revenge)

When betrayal is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our revenge. We know how powerful betrayal is (especially sexual betrayal), so we decide to use its power for our purposes to avenge those who have hurt us. Blinded by pain we try to use pain to conquer pain but only multiply pain. We continue this potentially infinite domino train that pummels us with alternating experiences of betrayal’s pain and betraying’s shame in spite of knowing how it perpetuates pain. Read Romans 12:17-21: It’s so tempting to read this passage as God “holding you back” from sweet relief and satisfaction. But, in reality, it is God “holding you back” from turning another’s betrayal into self-destruction. God is not removing vengeance. God is simply saying He is the only one who can handle its power without being overcome by it. Sin can never conquer sin; any more than oil can remove a stain from your clothes. It is foolish to believe your sexual sin could do what only Christ’s death on the cross could do–bring justice to injustice.

8. Bitterness (Sin as My Justice)

When bitterness is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our justice. If sin as revenge is fast and hot, then sin as justice is slow and cold. No longer are we seeking to hurt another by our actions; now we are merely nursing our wound. If we tried to explain our sin in words, we would have to say we believed our sin had some healing power. But because that seems foolish, we are more prone to just excuse our sin by the sin done to us. Read Hebrews 12:15-17: In this passage a “root of bitterness” is directly linked to sexual sin (v. 16). When bitterness distorts our perspective we will trade things of great value (our integrity and/or family unity) for things of little value (a sexual release or fantasy briefly brought to life) like Esau who sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.

9. Opportunity (Sin as My Pleasure)

When opportunity is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our pleasure. Often sexual sin requires no more trigger than time alone with a computer, a free moment to text, or an available member of the opposite sex to “talk” (i.e., flirt or allow to carry my burdens). When this is the case, sexual sin has become our default recreation–our preferred hobby. The more our sexual sin seeps into the common parts of life the more pervasive the lifestyle and heart changes necessary to root it out.

The reality is that often we dislike the shame and consequences of sin, but we still like the sin itself… That’s because porn is pleasurable. Let’s be honest about that. If we pretend otherwise, we’ll never fight it successfully. People like watching porn—otherwise they wouldn’t watch. The Bible talks about the pleasures of sin. They’re temporary. They’re dangerous. They’re empty pleasures, compared with the glory of God. But they are pleasures, nonetheless. –Tim Chester in Closing the Window (p. 15)

Read Philippians 3:17-21: Paul is addressing those whose “god is their belly” (v. 19). These are people whose basic appetites, the mundane parts of their life, were at odds with God. Paul wept at the thought of people in this condition (v. 18). Chances are they had become so comfortable serving their appetites that it would seem odd that Paul was crying for them and “radical” to change. If mere opportunity has become a primary trigger for you sin, let this passage shock you awake!

10. Rejection (Sin as My Comfort) 

When rejection is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our comfort. Our culture has made things done from a “fear of rejection” seem neutral–as if the defensive motive negated the badness of sin, or as if we become the victim of our own sin when we fear rejection. The problem with a fear of rejection is it makes us foolish. Only the fear of the Lord can make us wise (Prov. 1:7). When we react from a fear of rejection, we naturally seek the comfort of people rather than the comfort of God.

Once we understand that the primary goal of sexually addictive behavior is to avoid relational pain—essentially, to control life—we can begin to uncover the core problem (20)… Several tiers below the surface is a pervasive, integral force that demands the right to avoid pain and experience self-fulfillment. This self-centered energy is the very essence of what the Bible calls ‘sin.’ –Harry Schaumburg in False Intimacy (p. 24)

Read Proverbs 29:25: Scripture calls the “fear of rejection” the “fear of man.” It’s not innocent because it replaces God as the One for whose approval we live. It is the values, character, and preferences of the one we fear that influence our decisions, emotions, morality, and instinctive responses. If rejection is your primary motive for sexual sin, allow this passage to challenge the orientation of your life.

11. Failure (Sin as My Success)

When failure is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our success. In the fantasy world of sexual sin (porn, romance media, or adultery), you always win. You get the girl. You are the beauty who is rescued. No part of real life can compete with the early success rate of sin. Sin pays up front and costs in the back. Real success costs up front and pays in the back. In healthy marriages, sacrifice is a primary part of the joy. As you give into sexual sin as a form of success, it will drive you to desire the kinds of successes that destroy a family. Even if the adultery relationship is made permanent, it will then become “real” enough that it will no longer play by your preferred rules of success. Read Matthew 21:28-32: Why would the second son say, “I go, sir” and not do the assigned task (v. 30)? One potential reason is the fear of failure. Doubtless he would then view his father as upset with him and feel closer to someone who only asked of him what he wanted to do (i.e., porn, romantic media, or adultery partner). Using sexual sin as cheap success results in harming real relationships, lying, defensiveness towards being “judged,” and retreating to unhealthy or fictitious relationships. Rather than grading others by how they make you feel, repent of your fear of failure.

12. Success (Sin as My Reward)

When success is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our reward. Has your sexual sin become what you do when you need a break or what you have “earned” after completing something difficult? Has your sexual sin become the carrot you dangle in front of yourself in order to maintain motivation? When sin becomes our reward we feel cheated by repentance. God and anyone who speaks on His behalf becomes a kill-joy. Read Hebrews 11:23-28: Moses faced a choice between which reward he believed would be most satisfying: the treasure of Egypt or the privilege of being God’s servant (v. 26). Sexual sin gives us a similar reward choice: easy treasure or humble servant. Unless Christ is our hero and God our admired Father, then the choice seems like a no-brainer in the direction of destruction.

13. Entitlement (Sin as My Deserved)

When entitlement is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes what we deserve. When you are confronted with your sexual sin, do you think or say, “How else am I going to get what I need… deserve… earned?” Can you see how sexual sin has become your measure for a “good day” and whether someone is “for” or “against” you? Are you willing to allow anyone other than Christ who died for the sin you are trying to squeeze life out of to be the measure of “good” in your life? Read Jeremiah 6:15 and 8:12: The people of God had lost their ability to blush at sin. Why? One possible explanation (that can explain our inability to blush even if it doesn’t apply to them), is they believed they deserved their sin. When this happens, we believe we know better than God. We believe the unique features of our life trump the timeless truths of God’s created order. Our confidence to debate robs us of the humility necessary to blush.

14. Desire to Please (Sin as My Affirmation)

When the desire to please is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our affirmation. It’s easy to please a porn star or an adultery partner. They have a vested interest in being pleased. The entire relationship is based upon commerce (“the customer is always right”) or convenience (“if I am not pleasing to you, you have somewhere else to return”) rather than commitment (“I choose you unconditionally and faithfully in good times and in bad”). Too often sexual sin becomes a place of escape when we don’t feel like we can make everyone/anyone happy. Read Ephesians 4:25-32: Notice the type of relational interaction described in these verses is incompatible with an overly strong desire to please others. We cannot live the life God called us to (regardless of whether we are sinning sexually or not) if our driving desire is the affirmation of others. Our conversation must be gracious and good for building up (v. 29), but that assumes we are willing to speak into areas of weakness with those we love.

15. Time of Day (Sin as Pacifier)

When time of day is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our pacifier. Do you use your sexual sin to help you sleep, get the day started, serve as a pick-me-up, fight boredom, or kill dead time? What are the common times of day or week when you struggle with sexual sin? When has your sexual sin become routine? Read I Timothy 4:7-10: When you use sin as a pacifier you are training yourself for ungodliness (contra. v. 7). Often, because these occurrences happen during down times or transitions of our day, we view these occurrences of sin as less bad. We view them more like a child who is still sucking his/her fingers rather than a child who is defying a parent’s direct instruction. If disciplining ourselves for godliness means anything, it must be relevant when we feel undisciplined.

16. Location (Sin as My Escape)

When location is our trigger for sexual sin, then sin becomes our escape. The fantasy nature of all sexual sin makes it a perfect escape from an unpleasant location. We can “be there” and “not be there” at the same time. We get credit for attendance (or at least avoid the discredit of absence) without having to attend. We can mentally be with our lover while enduring the boring meeting, stressful kids, uninteresting spouse, lonely apartment, or other unpleasant setting. Read Psalm 32: Notice the Psalm begins talking about an unpleasant place or time (v. 1-5). But rather than escaping, David ran to God (v. 7) and found the joy you are seeking through escape into sexual sin (v. 10-11). When we escape through sexual fantasy, we use our fantasy as a substitute God. We are, in effect, praying to and meditating on our sin during a time of hardship seeking deliverance.

17. Negative Self-Thoughts (Sin as My Silencer)

When negative self-thoughts are our trigger for sin, then sin becomes our silencer. In sexual fantasy (porn, romance media, or adultery partner), we are always desired and see ourselves through the eyes of the one desiring us. We give ourselves to them not just physically but also imaginatively. Because we know the relationship is short-lived we are willing to do this. If the relationship were permanent the power of silencing-effect would be diluted over the expanse of time and contradicted by our growing number of failures in his/her presence. Read Psalm 103: Sin (or even a healthy human relationship) will never do  what only God can do. The ultimate “Peace, be still” to our negative self-thoughts is Christ’s death on the cross–affirming we were as bad as we thought, but replacing our deficiency with His righteousness. Sexual sin provides fantasy righteousness. It provides the kind of covering mocked in the classic children’s book The Emperor’s New Clothes.

18. Public (Sin as My Carnival)

When public is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our carnival. We walk through life like a kid at an amusement park; gawking at every person we see like a new ride or romantic adventure, making a clownish sexual innuendo out of every comment, or treating everything present as if it existed to entertain us and stimulate us sexually. Our private thoughts of fantasy become fueled by a hyper-sexualized interpretation of our surroundings.

The act of looking at porn is itself part of the succor it purports to offer. I can search for women who are available to me. I can choose between them like some sovereign being. It offers a sense of control. –Tim Chester in Closing the Window (p. 50)

Read Romans 1:24-25: Can you hear in the description of sex as my carnival what it means to have “exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator (v. 25)”? God will give us over to this kind of lustful heart (v. 24). This is why a radical amputation of sin is a necessary and wise response to prevent sexual sin from becoming our carnival (Matt 5:27-30).

19. Weakness (Sin as My Power)

When weakness is our trigger to sexual sin, then sin becomes our power. The stimulation (both the physical and chemical changes associated with arousal) of sexual sin gives a façade of strength. Having another person delight in you also provides a veneer of significance. As with most of these motives/triggers, sex becomes a means to an end. Sex is no longer an expression of love but an attempt to gain something. That is always a recipe for dysfunctional, unsatisfying sex.

My pastor has preached that the primary issue in adultery is that you want someone else to worship you and serve you, to be at your beck and call. That resonated with me. I could see that theme in my fantasies. –Anonymous testimony in David Powlison’s Pornography: Slaying the Dragon (p. 15)

Read 2 Corinthians 11:30: Are you willing to boast (verbally put on public display) your weakness as a way to make Christ more known and live in more authentic relationships? That is the only freedom that will allow you to enduringly enjoy what you are seeking in sexual sin. If that sounds backwards to you, read what Paul said in his first letter to the Corinthians (1:20-25) and ask yourself if your “wisdom” is getting you closer or farther from where you want to be.

Identifying Your Triggers

List and rank the top five motives/triggers for your sexual sin.

  1. __________________________________________________
  2. __________________________________________________
  3. __________________________________________________
  4. __________________________________________________
  5. __________________________________________________

Porn is always about a symptom of deeper issues. It’s about lust, but it’s also about anger, intimacy, control, fear, escape, and so on. Many of these problems will show up in other areas of a person’s life. –Tim Chester in Closing the Window (p. 109)

For some people the motive for their sexual sin will be very self-evident. Maybe you could quickly pick out the motive-triggers that deceive you into believing sin is “worth it” or will “work out” this time. For others, it requires reflection in the moment of temptation to discern what is luring them. If this is you, here’s a journaling tool from the False Love: Overcoming Sexual Sin from Pornography to Adultery seminar that is designed to help you understand your motives. When we understand the motive for our sin, it allows us to hear the empty promises sin makes so we can turn to our loving Heavenly Father who is willing and able to fulfill those promises. I hope this post has helped you see the emptiness of sin so that you are prepared to embrace the fullness of God in the gospel.

Put your addiction behind you with Overcome Porn

Overcome Porn: The 40 Day Challenge brings together the best advice Covenant Eyes has ever published on how to break free from the seemingly endless cycle of pornography addiction. If you want a step-by-step guide, this is it.” –Josh McDowell

If you’re ready to put porn in your past for good, this is the challenge and app for you. It contains some of the best articles, videos, and strategies to help you break your addiction. What are you waiting for? Join thousands of others and start your journey to overcome porn today! 

  1. Ashley Bohlen

    I believe fear can be a trigger..I struggle with it bad since I was a child.

  2. Dan

    Late comer here. You didn’t mention fear. Could it be thar fear of various types (anxieties) possibly drive this?

    • Fully agree on fear being a trigger. It’s akin to stress but different, in my experience. Nate Larkin mentions it in his video testimony, and cites porn as “the only fear medication that I’ve ever used”.

  3. KF

    This list can be used for any addiction. Thank you for publishing it.

  4. Rhonda

    Am 17,and I have been into masturbation for 2 years and 6 months. What I do is by rubbing myself on the bed, couch or pillow. I feel like my conscience which pricks me is dying. I feel guilty one moment and try to abstain for some time. Then, next thing I know, I do it again. I can’t talk to anyone because am quite principled in sex-related issues. I can’t fast or pray about it, will God ever forgive me for all the covenants I broke concerning this issue? I feel like giving up. Maybe I’ll just stop one day

    • Chris McKenna

      Hello, Rhonda – I’m sorry that you’re struggling. I’m sure you’re discovering that you just don’t have the strength to fight this on your own! Christ and Community can help. Is there anyone you can talk to about this? In the dark and hiding, it will continue to control you. Don’t give up! Yes, you can fast and pray. God is the Father on the road, waiting with arms wide open every day. Fresh mercy every day! There is no place so dark and deep that the love and light of Jesus don’t dig deeper.

      Peace,
      Chris

  5. Debra

    I am done with my husband porn addition. He choose’s it over me. I can’t remember the last time we was intimate. We have only been married 2 years. I threatened to change the internet password and he got very upset. Even pulled out his pocket knife. I have already spoke with a lawyer. Porn is his wife and I can’t take it anymore

    • Kay Bruner

      Debra, I am so, so sorry. The fact that he pulled a knife on you is absolutely terrifying! I’m glad you’re able to see the reality of what’s happening here, and I’m so thankful you’re able to make healthy choices for yourself. No matter what he chooses, you can choose to be healthy and well. Find a therapist, find a group, check out Bloom–there are great resources for your support and healing. Peace to you, Kay

    • Ernie

      Debra, sorry to hear about your marital issues. Pornography can become very addictive. I lived in that addiction without getting caught for years, and it did eventually kill our intimacy. Unfortunately, each addict must determine for himself (or herself) what is most important in their lives: Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God, and their family relationships, or the fantasy world of pornography and masturbation. It took me hitting rock bottom and realizing how much I had to loose before I finally surrendered to Christ and allowed him to break the chains of my addictions.

  6. Patrick

    Thanks for the 19. They are so true. Reading them helped me to make the choice if sobriety tonight. It helps me to remember and admit who I am.

  7. Kristi

    This exhausts me. As a wife of a porn addict, I can tell you that this list is discouraging. I know it’s true, and I know it’s helpful for those struggling, but it sends me into deep sadness knowing that my husband may never be free of this evil. I hate porn and I am very discouraged knowing that a certain time of year may trigger my husband’s desires and intense temptation. We’ve been struggling this problem for over 10 yrs, he’s been struggling much longer. Sigh.

    • Kay Bruner

      Kristi, I am so, so sorry. My husband struggled with porn for several years, but today he’s doing really well. If your husband has been struggling for 10 years and is still pretty mired in the habits, then I wonder if he is getting the right kind of help? Does he see a CSAT therapist? Is he involved in a group like SA or Pure Desire?

      5 years would be kind of a mental marker for me, and during that 5 years, you should be seeing progress away from the habit and toward a healthy life. Here’s an article about different kinds of patterns you might see over the course of time, and how you might respond.

      I hope that you’re getting support just for YOU in all of this? Very often, women in this situation will meet the criteria for PTSD, and many times I find that women receive almost no support for the trauma they suffer. Find a counselor just for YOU. Find a group just for YOU. Check out the online resource, Bloom.

      Most of all, consider what healthy boundaries need to look like for you in this situation.

      Peace to you, Kay

    • I had to walk away from my boyfriend after 2 years it literally sucked the life out of me!! It was hard to do but harder to stay ! Im stikl healing but I feel much better now.

  8. "D"

    I have experienced many of these, and still do. I had an episode just last night…..I am so disgusted with myself. I have listened to scores of videos on testimonies, strategies, etc… I would love to get into some type of 12 step program, but wished I could do it without actually meeting with a group. Are there such things? I am so tired of these urges overtaking me and feel so helpless. It seems whit each incident, I feel it harder and harder to get a hold of it so I can once again look back a several days of sobriety. I have been contemplating talking with a brother about this so I can get some more accountability, I just can’t get myself to take that first step….it is so embarrassing.

    Thank you for your ministry

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, “D” – I want to encourage you. That first step seems big, and it is, but I really think you will find the relief of sharing the load with another brother to be one of the best feelings. Live in the light with someone you trust! I just had my connection with my accountability partner this morning. It had more to do with “am I living noble, true, admirably” and just a little to do with “have I looked at porn,” because it’s about the heart and not just the behavior. I truly hope that you’re able to find that kind of connection!

      Peace, Chris
      Covenant Eyes

    • "D"

      Thanks Chris for the reply…

      Yeah, I have really been thinking of who to get with. It seems to be a choice that is as hard as who to marry. I was just yesterday listening to a fella on a podcast speak of a group “x3group” that actually meets online once a week. The cost averages about $39 a month. This was most exciting to me and, I know this is gonna sound strange, but I actually felt strength within me just by having the knowledge that I could go that route. The meetings, from what I gather, are done via live video and the groups are a maximum of 10 people. I wish I knew they existed a long time ago. There are time slots to meet the individuals schedule and seem to be a legit way for those of us that struggle to get some accountability without having to actually try to get to a physical place.

      Anxiety, sometimes mixed with boredom, is a real biggie for me. For some strange reason, having this new knowledge has taken a huge anxiety load off of me. I feel that my continuing struggle is fueled by the feeling of “where do I go” I have decided to change a few things in hopes of not slipping up as I did and the next time I have an issue, I’m signing up on one of those groups.

      Today is a new day, I’ve confessed to The Lord and have a battle plan.

      Thank you for your ministry guys!

    • Chris McKenna

      Hi, Donnie, I’m so glad to hear that! Finding accountability with others who will listen, not judge, and help carry your burdens is an amazing thing. Praise God!

      Peace, Chris

  9. Jeremiah P

    Hey, Brad. I am honored to be able to attend G4, even though I’m not at Summit. Thank you for the blessings that you have provided through these ministries, you and the other men at Summit. I’m glad that you are reaching out through Covenant Eyes, too. I hope you keep it up!

    The beautiful and central message that I received through being at G4 is that if you are focused on your sin as the only or primary battle within itself, you are missing out on the wonderful relationship with Christ that will lead to real victory over all sin. That wasn’t the focus with the pseudo 12-step programs I had been in, where white-knuckling for as long as I could so I could get my next time-proven chip was the constant idol of my heart. Unfortunately, I was too focused on formulaic faith, and not on a relationship.

    Praise God that he has knocked over my house of cards yet again, and is helping me to dig deeper and find my real heart and a desire to trust in Him above all else.

  10. steve

    Thanks Brad! Great reminders! All of these issues I have talked about in my secular 12 step group. These are many of the things that drive my addictions and it is good to be reminded because it helps me stay on my toes. When my addictions started we only had magazines and movies. Now we have ciber sex, phone sex, internet chat rooms, porn of all kinds on line. I am also reminded of what we call pursuing positive sobriety. That is not just the don’t but the do of sobriety–like making a gratitude list to avoid bitterness, resentment, anger etc. Thanks again and keep up the good work! Steve

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

Editor's Picks

boy before first Eucharist in a catholic church. child in white clothes with a candle in the church

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Everything Changed With a Video

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

boy enjoying game console at home

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Willing To Be Healed

Ten years old. That’s when it started. I had begun to feel…

5 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Young man kneeling in a church sanctuary.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Faith and Porn: Jonathan’s Story

To explain my struggle against this sin is to, in essence, describe…

5 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Image of Beth Davis.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Beth Davis’s Story: Jesus Set Me Free

Like so many people, I was exposed to pornography at a young…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Young man with folded hands in front of his face

Defeat Lust & Pornography

I Can’t Do It Alone

I crouched nervously behind the glow of our home office computer. Just…

3 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Man hugging his wife after returning home from service.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

From Addiction to Accountability

I started watching porn when I was in high school, but this…

3 minute read

Read Post

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

boy before first Eucharist in a catholic church. child in white clothes with a candle in the church

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Everything Changed With a Video

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended…

I was a 14-year-old Catholic. I sang with the church choir, attended Mass every weekend, and participated in youth group as often as I could. My friends and family had always warned me about the…

4 minute read

0 comments

boy enjoying game console at home

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Willing To Be Healed

Ten years old. That’s when it started. I had begun to feel…

Ten years old. That’s when it started. I had begun to feel strange urges to look at women without their clothes on, but couldn’t bring myself to talk about these feelings with my parents. Instead,…

5 minute read

0 comments

Young man kneeling in a church sanctuary.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Faith and Porn: Jonathan’s Story

To explain my struggle against this sin is to, in essence, describe…

To explain my struggle against this sin is to, in essence, describe my faith journey as a whole. So, let’s start there. I was raised in a Christian home, albeit one that didn’t actively have…

5 minute read

0 comments

Image of Beth Davis.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Beth Davis’s Story: Jesus Set Me Free

Like so many people, I was exposed to pornography at a young…

Like so many people, I was exposed to pornography at a young age—maybe eleven or twelve. I wasn’t looking for it and no one showed it to me. I stumbled on it accidentally.  I knew…

4 minute read

0 comments

Young man with folded hands in front of his face

Defeat Lust & Pornography

I Can’t Do It Alone

I crouched nervously behind the glow of our home office computer. Just…

I crouched nervously behind the glow of our home office computer. Just hours before, my sister and her friends had called me into that very room to see “something funny.” I was trying to remember…

3 minute read

0 comments

Man hugging his wife after returning home from service.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

From Addiction to Accountability

I started watching porn when I was in high school, but this…

I started watching porn when I was in high school, but this was before the age of the smartphone. So, while the seed had been planted, my exposure to porn was very limited. I did…

3 minute read

0 comments