Starting a "30 day challenge" today 2-9-2018! I'm 47 years old, married, have 4 children (3 of those adults) and have had a "porn struggle" since I was 9 years old! Sometimes it's been bad, other times better, depending on stress levels in my life. But this is what I will CHOOSE to BELIEVE for the next 30 days: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. So, for the next 30 days (at least) my plan is to post on this forum and publish thoughts and struggles related to my commitment to this challenge. The challenge consists of NOT LOOKING AT PORN AND NO MASTURBATION. That's it. If anyone would like to accept this challenge with me, let me know, and I will respond to your posts as well, whether on this thread or yours doesn't matter.
Fanchman. I'm approaching my first thirty days. This is a phone call from up the road to say the journey can be done! Ill see you when you get here.
Thank you so much for the encouragement! The older I get the more I realize how much time I've wasted. At this point, all I can really rely on are God's promises. "He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints."
Please do! Day 2 today for me. I kept busy today, but I also lost my patience this evening. I've been identifying triggers that have caused me to relapse in the past, and one of those is losing my patience. I start self-condemning etc., but I forget that our God is very merciful: "Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed." "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord." "I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;"
Am still on my day 1, I will say it's the mercy of God being with me now, that no thought or triggers have come. Thank you for your grace Lord
Still on my day 1, what an interesting journey i have set out for. I used to do a kinda nofap in my devotional book, where i will write my experiences everyday. But i honestly think nofap forum is the best for me, cause here people can learn from my experiences, and i can learn from others.
I agree, it's best to shed light! I don't want to be ashamed of anything I do! No more secrets. "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Day 3 for me today. I have to admit I used some "numbing agents" today, a little alcohol to take off the edge. Just a little though. I don't want to be a drunkard or a glutton. "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." But for me the focus is on abstinence for the next 30 days, and there may be some times I have to partake of a little wine to calm down. I think the Lord is OK with that!?
Please participate! Like I said, expect me to post daily for the next month (at least). I have made up my mind about this. Sometimes we just have to take "baby steps", 30 days at a time!!
I will say for me, alcohol rather increases or intensifies my urges. Cause everyday i try to take a little, i find my self to watch porn and masturbate after. So i think for me, ill just abstain from alcohol for now, until i am able tp control myself
I am glad that you are recognizing triggers! We all have them, and we have to eliminate them as much as we can. In the past alcohol has been a trigger for me also, but only if I had used it excessively. Today is day 4 of my "30 day challenge", and so far so good, but I have to admit that my mind wandered last night while going to sleep. For me, the late evening is the hardest, because that is when I've gone to porn, and that is when I've decided to post now. I am really trying to focus on the truth of the Scriptures: "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Our God gives us power and increases our strength when we need it the most! That is what we need to meditate on when we feel like going to porn!
I also have a problem with late nights to, cause thats when my mind starts to think about all the problems i went through througout the day, and all the rejections througout the day. I aslo have a problem with my dreams also. But i think meditation on God's word is the best key to success. For we are more than conquerers!!!!
In my case everything has been going well recently. A few urges here and there but nothing that was really tough. Advices from John Piper are really helping me to deal w/ Lust^^ Hope you guys had/have a nice day.
Amen, brother. I really like the new logo for the Christian Fapstronauts group, because it shows how we need to be rescued by Christ, how we just don't have what it takes, and for us to be broken before Him, so He can fill us with His Spirit. So, on day 5 today, and still moving in the right general direction. In an instant though my mind could wander and get stuck in the mire of porn, what a vicious cycle it can put you in. Today, I kept busy, and socialized a lot with co-workers, and didn't get home until fairly late, and now I'm looking forward to posting here every night. Thanks for posting aaaannnnn, that's a strange name though!
That's good to hear! Recently was reading about lust, and how we all have different things we lust after. And I believe that the different kinds of porn that appeal to each of us have to do with issues of power, greed, bitterness or anger, depending on what we are struggling with. In my case, I have dealt with anger issues towards women, because I was angry with my mother when I was a child. So, I have struggled with lusting after power over women in general, if that makes sense. On top of that, I was seeking approval from my father, who had taught me that a man's worth was directly related to how you could conquer women! Pretty messed up. But, it's good to have some understanding about why we have these bad habits or "coping mechanisms" However, let's focus on the Word for guidance: For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
Day 6 today. I've been busying myself to keep my thoughts off porn, and so far it's working, but we have to be able to keep our minds focused even when we aren't busy! Thank God for His mercies and His wisdom, and His promises!!! "Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God." "Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding" "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Day 7, one week now of no porn, no masturbation. It's been hard when I lay down to go to sleep, because that's when my mind wanders the most. I'm mainly thinking about my wife though. I've been going to bed later, because I want to be really tired, otherwise I might be prone to letting my thoughts wander more. The mind seems to be my worst enemy at times, almost like it battles against the Spirit! "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Paul's letter to the Roman church (chapter 8) So, if I consider this passage, if "they" means ME, than I can control my thoughts by "being after the Spirit". Let us be AFTER THE SPIRIT!
Keep it up! My main problems are the weekends. Under the week I´m almost hyper-productive. Yet weekends are tough since I hardly engage in productive activities because of my extreme procrastination. In the past it seemed to be the case that I used to destroy everything I built up from Monday to Friday. This has to stop now. Especially GOD and FAITH have really helped me to reject lustful thoughts! No I should actually integrate GOD in more aspects of my life.
So true. That we should be integrating God in everything we do! I would challenge you to not burn yourself out during the week. I think every day we should devote ourselves to some prayer time and/our meditation on the Word. I've failed in this also. I've been trying, every morning when I wake up to be mindful of God's creation all around us. Never take a day for granted! Day 8 for me today of no porn and no masturbation, which is a big deal! Do all things without murmurings and disputings Phil 2:14
