If you want to get serious about beating pornography addiction, listen up.
We both know it is a serious cross to carry. We agree it would bring relief to be able to let Christ carry it for us instead, on our behalf.
Even Christ accepted help in carrying His Cross, from Simon of Cyrene (Matthew 27:32). Won’t you let someone else serve as Simon to you?
THERE IS NO SHAME IN ASKING FOR HELP
Scripture tells us the value of camaraderie and carrying each other’s burdens.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” –Galatians 6:2
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” –Proverbs 27:17
“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” –Philippians 2:4
Thus, the expectation in the Christian life is that we will need to help one another along. This means that occasionally you too will need assistance from time to time. Do not be afraid to ask for help.
You should feel ashamed in your sin of porn use. But you should also be humble enough to know you must seek help in beating pornography addiction.
If you think you can overcome this all on your own, you are helping the devil. His tactics are to isolate and to destroy. If you stick together with the group, you have a greater chance to survive the onslaught.
GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
All that to say, you need to pick at least one person to open up to and to ask to keep you accountable.
Preferably you would be able to obtain spiritual direction from a good priest. But even in addition to that, you need to make yourself available to another trusted individual.
This person, obviously, cannot be struggling with the same sin you are. Lest you two meet for coffee and wallow together how you each stumbled in the sin last week.
No, rather, you need to pick someone who has the grace of not struggling with the sin of porn use.
This person—obviously of the same gender as you—can be your uncle, your friend, your former basketball coach, or whomever.
Once you get that person to agree to hold you accountable, set up a system of daily accountability keeping.
Give him permission to call you anytime to check in on you. Make sure you have his permission to call him anytime.
You may be tempted to masturbate at 1 a.m., unable to fall asleep. It would be nice to be able to pick up the phone and ask him to pray for you at that time.
Also, you can set up a texting system. He can text you to ask how you’re holding up that day. You can report to him and ask him for prayers as you try to overcome your pornography addiction.
He doesn’t need to text you, “View any porn last night?” as you don’t know who might see your text messages. Rather, he could ask, “Hey, how did it go last night?” You two can be covert in the messaging.
IN CLOSING
Beating pornography addiction takes time. Be patient with yourself.
For more tips, view one of my most popular blog posts to date, “5 Practical Ways to Defeat Porn Addiction”.
Don’t be afraid to seek help. Don’t wait.
Invite that trusted confidant you have in mind out for a coffee or a slice of pie tonight. Together, develop a plan of action to beating pornography addiction.
It just might save your soul.
YOUR TURN
Can anyone vouch for the importance of getting an accountability partner in beating pornography addiction?
Have you ever served as such a partner for someone trying to overcome pornography addiction before?
Please leave your thoughts below.
