Half-measures never worked for me.  I told myself I was working to turn my back on lust and porn.  I prayed.  I made vows to God.  I renewed my commitment both to seek God more fervently and to be more vigilant about fleeing sin. Yet I never confessed my sin to anyone. I never reached out for help.

I thank God that somehow one day He touched my heart using fear and desperation to drive me to make finding a new life a priority.  That was 17 years ago.  Along the way I’m sure I have met hundreds of guys who have shared with me their desire to break free and turn their backs on this compulsive addiction.  They have seen how it torments their souls and makes them prisoners of their own selfish desires. Many have asked me to help them.  I always say I’m more than happy to share the steps I took that enabled me to overcome habitual sins that had kept me trapped for over three decades.

I explain to them how they need to write out a battle plan.  I share how keeping a daily journal is like being your own psychologist and is so insightful.  I suggest groups they can join, courses they can take and books they can read.

What percentage of these guys have followed through on these suggestions? I imagine it is less than five percent.  I wish I knew why?  I wish I knew how to help motivate them and show them that no matter what the cost, the end result will be totally worth all the effort they put in.

Yet it seems that for lack of vision or lack of effort they only put forth half-measures and thus they remain perpetually stuck on the hamster wheel of habitual sin.

What’s hard is what actually works and what’s easy never will work.  Half-measures probably won’t even get you halfway down the road to recovery.

Everyone who has successfully completed the 12 steps knows this to be true.  There is no such thing as almost sober or almost clean.

This one short verse in Paul’s letter to believes in Ephesus makes all of this very clear:

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.” Ephesians 5:3

We can’t follow Jesus half way. Either Jesus is our Lord and King or we place our own desires on the throne of our hearts.  Too many church members have allowed greed to gain a toe hold in their lives.  And far too many who claim to be disciples of Jesus have allowed far more than a hint of impurity to dwell in their thoughts.

“Not even a hint” means it’s all or nothing.  No half-measures.  A total commitment is what it takes in order to reverse habits which have held us captive for years or even decades.  But it is possible to break free from materialism or from lust.  The choice is yours and the choice is mine.

Will we go all out?

Learn more about how to break free from habitual sin in the book:  Jesus Is Better Than Porn