Quit Porn, Live FreeSample

Step 2: Renew your mind

How do you find saying sorry? Does it come easy to you? Do you often say sorry even for things you haven’t done? Or do you struggle to say it at all?

Watching and engaging with porn will ultimately lead us to a place where we become trapped; trapped in a cycle of saying sorry to God, but repeating the same cycles of behavior and sin that we regret and that we are ashamed of. You might already feel trapped in that cycle. Being trapped in these kinds of cycles ultimately ends up causing us pain, shame, and even damage. Jesus often said to many people, ‘Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand’ or ‘Repent for the kingdom of God is near.’

When we repent, or ‘Metanoia’ (in ancient Greek, the original language that the New Testament was written in), this means to change our minds, change our thinking, and renew our minds. Something different starts to take place. We are no longer just saying, ‘Sorry God, I messed up, help me not to do it again.’ We are changing our thinking, our mindset, and our behavior because we are acting on it. We are changing by turning away and thinking differently about our behavior.

In one sense it can be the easy part when we say ‘sorry’. The hardest part is changing our behavior, not repeating the same mistakes, but breaking out of sin patterns. Check out how Paul puts it in the book of Romans: ‘Do not conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ (Romans 12:2a). In other words, don’t follow the crowd when it comes to porn. Recognise that it breaks God’s heart and messes with our minds. As you repent, you invite the Holy Spirit to renew your mind, leading to transformation in the way you think, act, and live.

We need to ask God not only to forgive us but to give Godly sorrow over the things we have done wrong. This ends up looking like conviction and not shame. Conviction draws us to God, shame pushes us away from God. This is how the Holy Spirit works; convicting us because He loves us and wants us to be free from the shackles of sin and shame.

We are also aware that this can take time, and moving away from porn can be very challenging and is hard especially when it has been an addiction in your life. The journey might have highs and lows, but it’s so key that we keep returning to God’s grace and forgiveness. We need to be kind to ourselves in this process and remember that it’s not about perfection but progress.

Questions: When was the last time you had sorrow over your sin? What does true repentance look like for you today?