Truth has the tendency to be elusive. Finding truth can be incredibly difficult, and when we find it, it can be even harder to live in light of it. We are fortunate that God has given us a North Star to guide us to truth: Jesus Christ.
When Jesus came He didn't just give us a chance for salvation by grace through faith, though He did accomplish that. Beyond just saving us, He also showed us by example the way to live in truth. Truth is a powerful and necessary part of healing recovery, because it orients us so fundamentally to reality and gives us clarity above the noise of our own minds. In this way, and many others, the truth sets us free (John 8:31) Here is what Jesus said.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
~ John 14
Here, we watch as Jesus expands the context of His provision from salvation to even more. He is the Way to salvation. The Truth of God. And the Abundant Life Giver. Truly, Jesus is the epicenter of our Christian walk and our mental health. For this reason, many counselors have suggested, and rightly so, that spending time in the Word of God is a necessary component of stabilizing oneself when struggling with mental health issues, including sexual addiction. Like David, we are to ask:
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
~ Psalm 119:9-11
Without the word of God in our hearts, how are we to choose God's ways? In short, we can't. Every Christian who wants to defeat sexual addiction must come to a sharp understanding of this. This is why Warfare of Grace has developed the "Lectio Divina (Holy Reading) Devotion Formation Guide" which can help you get scripture deep into your heart.
You may be reading thinking, "great, another place that says to read the Bible more." I understand that frustration. I too have lived a life where I knew the Bible well, but felt unable to live out it's principles in the moment. This is because my addiction had developed connections to my faith, and hijacked it, finding ways to use my devotion to steer me back into sin. I needed a way to sort out the truth when I was deeply tempted or confused, not knowing my own self. I asked, "How do I take this thought captive so I can live in truth?" (2 Cor 10:5) Maybe you're asking the same thing.
This is exactly why Warfare of Grace has developed the "Thoughts, Feelings, Truth. Exercise." This practical worksheet is to help an addict separate into sections the war going on in his mind. It operates on a few key principles. They are:
- What is inside needs to come out. Our thoughts and feelings need to be able to be expressed and viewed externally. Our thoughts and feelings are valid, but can lead us to sin. This sheet gets in between those steps.
- Addictions take us to false worlds. A wise man once said that addiction recovery is a "commitment to reality at all costs"(Ted Roberts, 7 Pillars of Freedom). Before we can make a godly choice, we need to see clearly what is actually going on around us. Addiction makes our thoughts and feelings a minefield of lies, but when we get to reality we can choose wisely.
- Take the time. This worksheet may feel extensive but it is critical that men who are trying to heal take the time necessary to walk through healthy processing.
- Christians want to be like Jesus. At the end of this road is becoming more like Christ. It is fundamental for the function of this worksheet, and what we celebrate when we complete the work!
Like many of the tools that we implement at Warfare of Grace, the Thoughts, Feelings, Truth Exercise is a structure we hope becomes second nature to you. If you can learn to parse your interior, you will be able to choose intentionally a God honoring path. Then others will "see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." You are loved.
