I’m sure you’ve heard the old expression, a picture is worth a thousand words… and quite honestly, it really is.
Pictures or images can often communicate messages far beyond what words can describe. So with that thought in mind, let me ask you this.
See this picture.
What does it communicate to you?
I don’t know about you, but when I see this picture, I know what it brings to my mind.
Maybe it’s because of the ministry I work in and my personal experience, but for me, this is a perfect representation of where a lot of men find themselves when they’re struggling with porn and those types of things.
They want a better life but don’t know how to get there.
Look at our “hero” at the bottom of this picture. He’s so small compared to the mountain. You almost miss him.
His presence in this image is practically insignificant compared to what lies ahead of him.
Also, notice that he’s alone. There’s no one around him, no help, no guide, no best friend.
It’s just him.
Then look at the size of that mountain. Oh my goodness. That’s one big freaking mountain.
But isn’t that what conquering porn addiction seems like for most of us?
A mountain that’s so large, so massive. We never stand a chance when it comes to climbing it. How will we ever get to the top of something that big?
Then look at the void between our hero and the mountain covered by the clouds.
Again, this is where a lot of us find ourselves. We’re on the one side and our goal is to get to the other. And in between is this massive chasm obscured by our situations, our misunderstandings, our questions.
We want clarity, but we struggled to find it.
And so what do many of us do?
We sit on the other side like this guy just staring off at the mountain wishing that someday we could get to the top, but never moving forward because we can’t see through the clouds and herein lies the danger of being alone.
What would change in this picture if the hero had a partner or better yet a community of partners?
Sure.
The mountain would still be big.
The clouds would still be thick.
But maybe, just maybe, his team would encourage him and say…
“Just push forward. Move through those clouds. As long as you can just see the next step, you’ll be fine. We’ll help you get there. Let’s just go.”
Imagine instead of one lonely figure at the bottom of a big mountain, there was a whole chain of people joined hand in hand from the bottom all the way to the top.
How much different would this picture look then?
What type of message would it communicate?
Instead of looking like a massive, almost unattainable goal, bringing about thoughts of doubt and fear, this picture would inspire bravery and confidence in us because there are people in our lives who will help us get to the top.
This is the large reason why races and obstacle course runs are so fun. Because you conquer the course as a group.
I’ve participated in many of these and one of the coolest things about these races is that you meet people from all walks of life. People you probably wouldn’t ever hang out with but during that race, we are all the same.
We all have one mission. To beat that course.
As a result, no one gets heated with each other.
No one condemns.
No one judges.
If you fall, someone is there to pick you up.
If you need a boost, someone is there to do it.
And when you say I don’t know if I can go on, someone is there to say “You sure as **** can!”
Recovery tools like workshops and filters are fine and even needed.
But having a group around you who are united with you in your purpose to find freedom is going to make the real difference in your recovery efforts.
If you’re like this lonely guy at the bottom…
If you’re looking at the mountain thinking to yourself, “There’s no way I’ll ever get there.”
If your vision is being obscured by a whole bunch of clouds in your life…
I want to encourage you to find that team, that like-minded community that’s going to inspire you to go for it and pick you up when you need it so you can get to the top.
Because we know that there’s a huge need for it.
We know there’s a whole lot of people out there who are standing at the bottom of their own personal mountains and are feeling like they’ll never make it. But they don’t know where to find that group, that community of people that will help them get there.
A place that is characterized by a culture of grace, accountability, and bravery.
Here’s to you and finding your community so you can get to the top of your mountain.
And if you aren’t quite sure where to start, check out Small Groups Online. We have groups for men, women, and spouses that meet every week and are there for the purposes of recovery, healing, and mutual support.