In my last post I addressed the misconception that sexual addiction, particularly porn addiction, is not really a big deal. Today I want to talk about another common excuse that people have when it comes to not addressing their addiction issues, that being the idea that they can handle the problem themselves.
Maybe you have said or thought the following; “No need to drag in others … I’ll take care of this myself in my time.” Sound familiar? The truth is that this excuse comes up short in two big ways. First, from a Biblical point of view, only true restoration can occur when accompanied by confession and repentance. You can’t put the past failures completely behind you until you confess them and repent from them, not just to God but also to those you hurt. Second, if you think this is something you can do alone let me just ask you, how’s it working out so far? Are you still addicted? Are you still trapped in shame and guilt? Do you see light at the end of the tunnel or do you just see another failure in the horizon? Understand that life is not meant to be done alone & recovery from sexual addiction is no exception.
This is where accountability partners & recovery groups come into play. Maybe you aren’t ready to confess your addiction to your spouse, I get that … it’s not easy. However, you can start by confessing your addiction to an accountability partner. Accountability is so important in everything we do and it is especially vital in the area of porn or sexual addiction and recovery. Having an accountability partner who loves you enough to tell you the truth, who is there to encourage you and not criticize you, and who will come along side you in your moments of weakness is a resource you can’t afford not to have. Sexual addiction is vicious, it’s tenacious, it’s frustrating and exhausting but it is something that needs to be confessed and something that you need support to face. Recovery groups are like your running partners. Do you think Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times by himself? Of course not, he had a team! He had running partners who encouraged him, helped him, supported him, and propelled him to victory.
Understand that if you want to get the sin of sexual addiction out of your camp you need help and accountability. You need running partners that will lift you up when you fall and carry you when you are too weak to run. You need people in your life that will battle along side you in your moments of weakness helping you push forward to ultimate victory. Sexual addiction is a fierce enemy; don’t be foolish enough to think you can fight it solo.