We just got this from Jake.
Paul and Relevant church.
I wanted to share what I have been learning over the last week.
Since the challenge started, I have been really asking God to reveal not only what I can do to please Jennifer, but what I can do to please God. I have had up and down periods of my life when I have become more or less dependent on my own personal sin, then that of keeping my sexual desires solely for my wife. What I mean is, not physically cheating on my wife, but mentally. My eyes have always been my downfall. Going to web sites I shouldnt, feeding off of images that dont gratify and make you feel guilty for doing so.
But over the last week I have avoided images or diverted my eyes from things I shouldnt see, that detract from the purity of my marriage. I have seen that I can win this battle over my lust with God’s help. This isnt to say I havent been tempted or that images that I shouldnt see have graced my screen or my vision, but when those images came up, I quickly diverted my eyes and quickly asked God for pure thoughts. I have also been showing my love for Jennifer with things I have been neglecting and on the house for the incoming baby.
I know the battle isnt over, but as a married man, satan attacks his hardest when we think we are invulnerable to attack. I just wanted to share that God is slowly freeing me of my lust and I want to say that to any married or single men out there, guard your eyes, because even lustfully looking is the same as doing the act itself.
I am incredibly thankful I am forgiven and that God is merciful in His love.
Jacob
I, too, have struggled with lust and sins of the eyes. One year ago, I found a program that has helped immensely with that. It is called Covenant Eyes. With Covenant Eyes, everything I do on the internet is logged and sent to accountability partners. This means that I don’t have the freedom to go whereever I want and to look at whatever I want on the internet. I’ve chosen to do this out of love for my wife and love for God, and it has helped me attack this area of sin in my life. Have I fallen? Yes, I have. Do I still get tempted? Yes, I do. But I have a support network available to pick me back up and put me on solid ground.
I also struggled until I did the following: installed v-chips on every t.v., had all of my snail-mail routed to my accountability partner (he reads it all first), and installed the Integrety GPS in my car. Integrety GPS emails every location I visit to my accountability partner. That keeps me from driving to strip clubs, or the beach, or anywhere that ladies may be dressed in revealing clothing.
John,
I’m glad the Covenant Eyes accountability program has worked well for you. Praise God!
I invite anyone reading this to go to http://www.covenanteyes.com and enter promocode ‘onefree’ to receive a free 30 day trial of the accountability program. That promo code is open to anyone who wants it! John is among tens of thousands of others around the world who use the program and find freedom as a result!
Jake,
It is great how God reveals the areas where we need his gracious power to work in us. I’m glad that you are finding freedom and guarding your eyes.
I’ve written a blog post on our company’s page about Job 31 and the covenant he made with his eyes. Check it out at: http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/01/05/jobs-covenant-with-his-eyes/
Luke Gilkerson
Internet Community Manager
Covenant Eyes
http://www.covenanteyes.com