Gazing lustfully.
Someone shared this recently, and it really got me thinking: “I’m on a 14-day streak and feeling good. However, I still find myself constantly fantasizing about porn and looking at women more lustfully to compensate for the lack of it. Do these thoughts eventually become healthier? Has anything worked for you that helps reduce or manage these kinds of thoughts?” Here are some of my thoughts: In 1 Timothy chapter 5, Paul instructs Timothy to treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters—with absolute purity. That verse really helped shift my perspective. I wouldn’t want anyone to hurt my sister or mother or have inappropriate thoughts about them, so why would I view or treat other women any differently? As men, we often fall into the trap of blaming women for how they dress, as if they’re the reason we struggle with lust. But the truth is, it has nothing to do with them. It’s on us to take responsibility for our own hearts and minds. When we begin to see women the way God calls us to—with honor, purity, and compassion—we stop objectifying them and start praying blessings and love over them. That’s the mindset Christ wants for us. Brothers, think about it—we’ve viewed women lustfully for so long that it’s started to feel like the default, natural response. But that’s not how it’s meant to be. That mindset can be changed. When we renew our minds and shift the way we see women, that default response will begin to fade. With time, discipline, and purity, we can learn to see women the way God intended—with respect, honor, and love. We will change the default—what was once a negative response will become a positive one, rooted in a godly perspective. As this transformation takes root, we will begin to see all women as sisters and mothers in Christ, worthy of dignity, care, and protection. Just some thoughts I wanted to share—hope they help. Stay strong, brothers.❤️✝️🙏
Hello Tony, I understand where you’re coming from, but that doesn’t matter if we’re firmly grounded—like a house built on rock instead of sand. With a solid foundation, no matter what happens, our flesh can be disciplined. No matter what women wear, we will not reduce them to objects of our desire. And for those who are hurting, damaged, or have been abused—who feel they must dress, look, or act a certain way to be worthy of love and attention—we will respond with empathy. We will pray for them, honor them, and treat them as our sisters, with complete purity and love.