Killing the Death Cycle

Paul writes in Rom 6:20–21, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.” Applying this passage to my life, pornography and lust have enslaved me, leading to a seemingly never-ending death cycle. This death cycle is difficult to escape. Through pornography use, you get hooked with the rush of dopamine and endorphins, crash in shame, and then you look for an escape from the misery by indulging in the sin that started the death cycle. Breaking out of the cycle seems impossible.

In the power of the Holy Spirit, you can break out of the cycle with the help of others. I finally reached out to Pastor Chance and confessed my sin. It didn’t fix everything right away, but it led to a group of guys meeting on Monday nights together working to overcome sexual sins. The answer is 1 John 1:9 and Jas 5:16—confess and receive God’s forgiveness. Healing begins when we admit our sins to others. By shining God’s searing light upon the darkness that festers and hides in the recesses of our hearts, our sin withers away.

But man, that is hard! That’s why I am writing this now. I’ve been there. I want to encourage anyone reading this and identifying with this struggle. There is hope! Our men’s group will start a new book in September specifically on helping guys resist pornography. You will see another spotlight on the book soon. Please reach out to Pastor Chance, Mark Anderson, or me if you have any interest at all.

Caleb Nordquist