Together We Think

In today’s post, I want to focus on the triggers that set us up for failure in the area of lust. We all have triggers that cause us to move toward our areas of struggle and temptation. Although we are all different, we have many of the same triggers such as: stress, pain, insecurity, fear, anger, frustration, etc… This list is a result of the broken side of our lives. The old sin nature if you will. If we have any hope of finding victory in the struggles of life we must get to the root of where these triggers come from.

I want to talk for a few minutes about how these triggers function and what we can do to recognize their presence and prepare for the battle and temptation ahead. First, we need to recognize when these triggers are most likely to appear. Here are some thoughts:

• You have just had an argument with your spouse and are feeling unappreciated.
• You have had a really rough day at work.
• You have just had a spiritual high and there is a let down coming.
• You had an interaction at work or home that tapped into your insecurity and you feel like less of a person.
• You had a difficult conversation with a family member or friend and it didn’t turn out as you had hoped.
• You feel out of control in some way.

I could go on and on, but I am sure that at least one of these resonated with you. There are situations and emotions in all of us that when presented are triggers that cause us to run to something in a blind way to ease the sense of tension, pain or stress. This is why pornography is so prevalent because it taps into our natural sexual wiring, gives us a feeling of satisfaction and control and makes us feel good for the moment. It is a pretty potent concoction isn’t it?

And yet, those of us who struggle with it all know that it doesn’t work well for long because the feelings of desperation and guilt that quickly follow leave us worse off than we were before. So, why do so many of us continue to go back? Because the pain we are experiencing is ultimately, greater than the guilt and shame we experience after, so we keep going back.

So, where does this leave us? In a vicious cycle if we don’t step off the crazy train and find some healing. The beautiful thing is that healing is what our Heavenly Father offers. Healing from the insecurity, pain, frustration and brokenness is exactly why He sent His son and stands ready to help us at any moment. All we must really do, is turn to Him, admit our brokenness and allow Him to move and work in our soul to heal the broken places.

So, what are your triggers? If you are not aware of what they are, your first step is to begin to recognize them. If you know what they are, your next step is to take them to your Heavenly Father and ask for His help. Once you have asked Him for help, you need to be aware of when the triggers are coming or have come and set up some boundaries to help you move in a different direction than toward your sin. Lastly, you must be open and honest with at least one person who can help guide you in your healing and someone who can hold you accountable in making a better choice.

Tomorrow, we will talk about the concept of accountability; what it is, and why it is so important.

Thanks for reading and godspeed!

S.