The Problem with Practicality

I’ve asked this question a million times, and I’ve heard other girls ask this question a million more:

“What practical steps can I take to overcome porn?”

There is nothing wrong with taking practical steps to overcoming sexual sin. It is vital to establish guardrails and boundaries for yourself. In fact, here is a condensed list of some of the practical things I have done in an attempt to overcome pornography:

• My best friend and I would send daily Bible verses to each other.

• I would pay her a dollar any time I slipped up (actually, I just wouldn’t tell her when I slipped up…)

• I would mark the days I went porn free on my calendar (although this just made me focus more on the times I failed).

• I would call a friend every time I felt tempted (plot twist: I would never actually do it).

• I would pick up my Bible every time I felt tempted (again…never did it).

• I would go on a walk every time I felt tempted (you get the idea).

I was so frustrated! Why was I failing at all of these valiant efforts to overcome pornography?

Because I was prioritizing them over strengthening my relationship with Christ. I was trying to tackle this sin on my own. I so desperately wanted there to be an easy three-step process to overcoming a pornography addiction. I wanted someone to hand me a self-help book and say, “This has all the answers you need.”

We live in a society that values instant gratification so much that we often forget that sanctification is a process. We prefer practical resources over God’s conviction because God calls us to do a lot of challenging things.

The truth is, though, our practical attempts at overcoming sin are futile without the Holy Spirit. We can have every practical boundary set in place and still fall to sin because we are leaning on our own understanding.

If you are asking the question, “What practical steps can I take to overcome [insert sin struggle here]?", ask yourself this first:

“What practical steps am I trying to take in place of the practical steps God calls me to take?”

Here are some biblical practical steps you should take in order to overcome your sexual sin:

• Confession (James 5:16)

• Accountability (Galatians 6:1)

• Prayer (Philippians 4:6)

• Christian community (Hebrews 10:24)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your path straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).