Creating Infrastructure for Healing
If you need help seeing Jesus in the middle of your struggle, or just feel like you are stuck, ready to move into growth and healing, connect with a Christian coach.
Excerpt: Creating Infrastructure for Healing
Course: Freedom From Pornography
Speakers: Matthias Barker
Healing the Wound
When we began, we discussed the internal conflict many of you face: a desire for spiritual values and meaningful relationships versus a need to address emotional wounds. Pornography, with its immediate visceral sensation, becomes a powerful, albeit destructive, tool for managing this distress.
The Path to Healing
The natural conclusion is to find substantive, visceral ways to address these wounds, aligning with our values and God's best. The deepest work involves healing the wound itself. If the wound is healed, the need for harmful coping mechanisms dissipates.
Living in God's Grace
We live in the reality that God has secured our belonging, not through our perfect actions, but through Jesus's faithfulness. Our role is to live into this grace, enjoying the feast He has provided.
Practical Steps
How do we respond? We play a role in sanctification, maturity, and healing.
Therapy: Explore wounds related to family, trauma, or identity. Conversations with trusted mentors, therapists, or pastors can illuminate the context behind your struggles.
Infrastructure: Build a foundation for wholeness. Replace the immediate gratification of pornography with consistent, healthy practices.
Daily Routines: Infuse health and support into your life with daily routines. These create stability, addressing emotional needs in a constructive way.
Community: Cultivate deep friendships and involvement with people who love and support you. This goes beyond accountability to meaningful connection.
Replacing Harm with Health
Pornography offers a visceral fix. We need to find similar sensations in alignment with God’s will. Community and daily routines offer these.
Conclusion
Overcoming pornography involves more than just stopping a behavior. It requires addressing the root wounds that drive it. By seeking therapy, building healthy routines, and cultivating meaningful connections, you can find visceral, life-giving ways to address your emotional needs and move toward wholeness.
If you like the content, you can continue in a few different ways…
1) See the outline below and check out other sections from the FFP course.
2) Take the full small group course to your church community! The first course your church runs is free! Reach out to us here to learn how.
3) Connect with a Share The Struggle Coach for one-on-one support. Let’s face it, some of us have tried kicking this thing, and we’ve had no luck. It’s time to start looking toward forms of support that can help us see and feel the beautiful life God has in store for us.
Freedom From Pornography
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Freedom From Pornography 〰️
Part 1: Stories of Struggle
Session 1: What is the Struggle?
Video: Introduction: Freedom from Pornography
Topics: Early Exposure and Unseen Wounds
Session 2: The People
Video: Brittni’s Story
Video: Humanizing the Struggle
Video: Safeguard your Life from Porn; Warfare Prayer to Break the Chains
Topics: The Broken People Who Make Porn; Taking Action Against Using Porn
Part 2: The Roots of Dependency versus Design
Session 3: How Does This Dependency Begin?
Video: What’s in the Search Bar
Topics: The Truth about the Industry; What’s Driving Your Porn Use
Session 4: Biblical Roots
Video: Knowing Your Enemies
Video: Rejecting Synthetic for Authentic; Looking for Patterns and Capturing Thoughts
Topics: Three Enemies; Gypsy Moth Mating Disruption; Inner Healing Prayer
Part 3: Reconnecting and Reattaching
Session 5: Reconnecting With An Authentic God
Video: Habits for Healing with God
Topics: How God Sees You; Wild Mustangs; Learn the Formula for Success
Session 6: Working On Self
Video: The Neuroscience of Addiction; What Porn Does to Your Brain
Topics: Judgement and Shame; Visceral Reactions; Your Brain’s Reaction
Session 7: Working With Others
Video: Practices for Building Community; Relationships of Trust
Topics: Communities; Who to Trust; Action Before Failure
Session 8: Healing With A Spouse
Video: Providing Helpful Accountability; Confess the Temptation, Not the Mistake
Topics: Being a Safe Listener; Sharing Safely; Listening Triad
Share The Struggle Courses
Share the Struggle Courses are topical expert led video courses to help you understand life’s greatest struggles and provide you with tools for navigating them. Moreover, STS courses create a space for you to connect with others struggling with similar things, experience belonging, and encounter God’s nearness in a place of wilderness in your life (pain, confusion, healing journey). Want to start a group at your church? Reach out to us here to learn how.
What Share The Struggle Believes
Here at Share The Struggle we believe Jesus is present with us in the middle of our pain and mess, and it is in that place that we often experience and encounter Jesus most deeply.
We understand the unique challenges faced by Christians dealing with mental health. Our mission is to bridge the gap between faith and mental health support, providing a platform where individuals can find resources, coaching support and guidance, all tailored to their spiritual life and emotional needs.
We invite you to explore our resources, share your journey, and find the support you need to overcome the struggles you face.