Something clicked

Around a month ago I began waging a concerted spiritual war on putting to death the last dark stronghold in my life - lust. I downloaded this app and since then finished a book on it called “The Easy Peasy Way to Quit Porn” (the “Literature” button), which is rooted in addressing the psychology behind addiction and addressing it as such (a supernormal dopamine dependency) in order to rewire the way you think about it, instead of burning out on the willpower method (the latter of which still allowing the psychology of feeling that you’re depriving yourself of something actually desirable). I relapsed on my first weekend, but now having finished the book, it’s been 16 days, and something has “clicked” for me… I feel very differently about porn. Having been focusing on other God-given things in life that give natural dopamine, and denying that cheap alternative escape, the appeal has completely dried up and makes fighting temptation feel “easy peasy” after starving out the initial pangs, as it were. As one in the desert seeks water with desperation, so have I also sought God’s guidance in conjunction with this campaign, and it has galvanized my new perception; He emphasized Isaiah‬ ‭61‬ verses 1 & 3 for me: “He has sent me […] to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, […] and to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.“ It now feels like I’m exchanging my ashes for freedom, for the natural beauty of Godly desires, and am decidedly dwelling upon those alone now. I’m indescribably proud of the community here - each one of you gentlemen - indicative of our stronger resolve than the forces working against us, of a deep knowledge of the truth of freedom and purity we know exists and is possible; that which we were made for in God’s likeness and his image, and that which we were all robbed of. But we are taking our lives back. Remain steadfast gentlemen. You’re in the right place. “Do not go quietly into that good night; rage, rage against the dying of the light.”