But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. (Proverbs: 4:19)
Don’t imitate the wicked, who don’t even know why they are having problems. Know your triggers for sexual sin. Triggers are the conditions that lead you into sexual sin. They are the patterns of behavior, the rituals that follow temptation and lead us into sin. All of us have triggers that create weak spots in our wall.
I’ve found that one of my triggers is channel surfing while I’m on the road. If I turn on the T.V. in my hotel room without clear boundaries about what I’m about to watch, I often find myself channel surfing. When I see something racy, I linger. Within moments, I’ve advanced to lust and begin searching for more explicit images to satisfy it.
Your triggers are likely different. I have a friend whose trigger is anger with his wife. He becomes resentful and masturbates as a way to “get back at her.” (How do you think that’s working for him?) Another friend struggles with time in the shower, another when hanging around a certain group of guys and another with curiosity while surfing the internet.
Start to notice when and where the temptation starts, and set up guards to protect you in those places. My guard for aimless channel surfing is to commit to God in the morning (while I am strong) what I will watch and what I will not watch. I don’t turn on the T.V. until it’s time for my show, and I turn it off right afterward.
If you’re not sure about your triggers, journaling can help you identify patterns of behavior that reveal the low points in your wall. Especially after you’ve fallen into sin, it’s important to do a post-mortem to retrace the steps that led to failure. Ask yourself questions like:
· How was I feeling when the temptation to sin first hit me?
· What was I thinking before the temptation?
· What was I doing?
· How am I feeling about my major relationships (wife, kids, other family, boss, co-workers…)?
· How do I feel physically?
By asking yourself these and other questions, you can figure out the Enemy’s battle tactics. You need to learn what weak spots Satan is exploiting, or you’ll never be able to repel his assaults. When your walls are strong in those areas, you will find that the Enemy will stop attacking you there (at least for a time). With each trial that you pass through, you become stronger and better able to withstand the next temptation.
