A drill sergeant asked a new recruit what would happen if he shot off one of his ears.
The recruit answered, “Well, sir, I would lose half my hearing.”
“And what If I shot off both of your ears?”
“Then I wouldn’t be able to see.”
The sergeant said, “That makes no sense. Why did you say that?”
Said the recruit, “If both my ears were shot off, my helmet would slide down over my eyes!”
That’s called unintended consequences. Any porn addict can relate to that.
Several hundred years before Christ, the people of Judah had bowed to false gods. When they refused to turn from their idolatrous ways, the prophet Jeremiah stepped in. He said, “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron” (Jeremiah 17:1). Translation: short-term actions have long-term consequences.
Recovery Step: Examine your life. Is there anything you need to clean up that might have unintended consequences?
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.
