Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
Think about your middle circle behaviors. Sure, you can watch certain movies, you can go to certain places, and you can look at certain social media posts. None of those will be a breach in sobriety, and they can seem pretty harmless in the moment.
But life doesn’t end in “the moment.”
It’s what follows what is troublesome – fantasy, euphoric recall, and lust.
Paul addressed this directly. “I have the right to do anything, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
C.S. Lewis offered good advice: “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”
Recovery Step: Make a list of things you can do, but you should not do.
Author: Mark Denison
Mark and Beth Denison, married for 36 years, launched There’s Still Hope as a national movement to call men and women into lives of sexual integrity. Their ministry offers 90-day recovery plans for addicts and one-on-one and group coaching for addicts and their spouses. TSH also produces resources for pastors and churches to confront the porn epidemic that is destroying so many lives.
Dr. Denison was a senior pastor for over 30 years, NBA chaplain, and board chairman at Houston Baptist University three times. With a Master’s Degree in Addiction Recovery, Mark is a certified PSAP and active member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
Mark has written four books on recovery: Porn in the Pew, 365 Days to Sexual Integrity, A 90-Day Recovery Guide, and 40 Days to Porn-Free Living. His latest book, Jesus on the 12 Steps, will be released later this year.
