“Nothing is wrong or off right now.” This is an important step for those who are tempted to view pornography.
Have you been scared or fearful of being alone, that you would have thoughts and temptations to view pornography? Is there anything wrong or off about being alone? You have probably been alone many more times than you can think and not tempted with pornography. The perfect storm = the moment you are alone + temptation to view pornography + judging this moment as being bad + not sure how to view this present moment.
Porn and Reality
How you judge reality in the moment is very important. Sometimes you might function this way: aloneness = view pornography. “If I am alone then I will (or more than likely will) view pornography.” For example, you might be scared to go home during your lunch break because no one else is home. You call a friend and tell him. He affirms this fear, “ Do something else instead...pack a lunch...go to Canes.” Fleeing from moments where you feel vulnerable is a healthy thing to do. If fear of viewing pornography is attached to being alone at home, then this can lead you to believe that this moment is bad though; at first you were fleeing from pornography but now you are fearful of being tempted. Fleeing temptation without learning to deal with temptation might lead you to becoming fearful of viewing pornography in the future.
The next part is learning how to view this moment of temptation. Consider, what has stayed the same from the time you arrived at work to your lunch break? You are around the same coworkers from 9:30am to 12:00pm. The work you are doing is the same. God is still with you. Temptation does not change reality in the moment. What is different between 9:30am and 12:00pm (lunch break)? The time of day is different; You’re probably hungry; and you‘re off for the next hour. Temptation is different. Is 9:30am when reality is right and 12:00 when it’s wrong? Things can be different and not wrong at the same time. Temptation is something that is different but not necessarily wrong or sinful.
Temptation can feel like reality. Temptation is part of it, but not all of it. The goal is learning to behave more out of reality than temptation.
Change takes time. He is with you.
Cowtown Christian Counseling serves Fort Worth with pornography addiction counseling from a Christian perspective. Check out more of our addiction blogs.