Wednesday, 18 January 2012

  • A Great fall...in Fall.

    Without going to far into the horrible details I am going to tell you all about an experience of mine that took place last September. I haven't told anyone what happened, but I have talked to people about how it has changed me. 

    Well, getting back into the swing of college & class last fall was very difficult. I had just recently returned from the U.K. from a mission trip. I was so encouraged, yet drained from my summer abroad. Well, if you look at a previous post, my best friend told me over the summer that he would not be returning to our college that next term (now he isn't coming back at all). I am not one to bounce around different groups of friends. I typically have a small core group that I consider my best friends and that I can really have community with. Struggling with SSA this makes it hard. I fight loneliness with the majority of people, except for people in my "core." Well, not one of my core friends were around. I had "friends" but no one that I didn't feel lonely and uncomfortable with. 

    I was alone. 

    Well Satan, being the ravenous lion he is, took the opportunity to devour. And it wasn't a quick gobble either. He wore me down bit by bit. Me being exhausted, stressed, and lonely made his feast even more easy and delectable. I found myself struggling with SSA by two hundred percent. I wanted to connect with someone so bad that I was willing to give into SSA for that connection. I kept hearing the lie that I could have what I wanted if I just sought after a "relationship" with another male. Well, given my identity on campus and with my friends as Christian, I couldn't very well have a public relationship. So I started contemplating the idea of secret meetings with guys. I might as well put a gun to my forehead.

    Not only playing with these ideas, I was headlong back into porn and masturbation. I was slipping down faster than I had ever done before. The really sad thing was, I knew it. I was so done with struggling and being lonely that I basically edged toward the "no no" line just watching and waiting for Jesus to intervene. In the back of my mind I sort of taunted Jesus with the fact he wasn't doing anything to help or stop me. 

    I would love to say that I came to my senses and began to pray and read my bible again. However, I began to contact people wanting to discretely "hook up" to be honest. And well, I did. 

    This is the worst thing I have ever done with my SSA. Every moment that led up to it I knew better. From the inside I screamed to stop, yet my flesh screamed yes. This was going to give me some sort of contact. An end to the loneliness. Just to clear this up, I did not have sex. It did not go that far, but definitely went further than I had done before. Regardless of the details, I learned something. Something that I makes the whole situation worth something.

    Almost as soon as I had done what I had done, I automatically knew it did not give me what I wanted. It was dumb. It didn't satisfy a thing I wanted it to. Jesus was acting like I had expected him to do before. He softly said, "Now, don't you understand what I've been telling you all along? I am enough." I realized I want Jesus more than this. Jesus gave me more of a satisfaction than any of that could ever give me. And now I had proof. "Blessed is the man who believes without seeing." Well, I did not believe and had to see. And I was burned.

    My SSA struggle since that moment has greatly improved. I find it much easier to turn down temptation because the lie was exposed. However, now that I am back for Spring term, I am still alone. Almost more alone than ever. I am desperate for community. And the lie to seek out community in my SSA is still present. Please pray that I don't forget the valuable lesson God spoke into my life that day. Pray I find community; at least one person that I can be myself with.

    Jesus is enough.

     

Comments (4)

  • twoBeckonings

    A brave and beautiful recounting on what you experienced last fall. Can completely relate with that desire for connection, to break the mold of loneliness in a search for meaningful community. It's been a dreadfully slow process for me, but I think the key is waking up each morning, determining to follow Christ that day no matter what. Day by day, and eventually He'll provide us the desires of our heart.

    Thanks for sharing your story. Be bold. tom

  • VirRegi

    Wow man, what a post.  I'm really glad you wrote it all down for us to read though.  I sort of needed to hear that myself.  It's a bit of what I've been struggling with lately - wanting an intimate/sexual guy relationship.  Even though it must have been, and probably still is, incredibly painful, it's a great testimony and now that you have that experience, you can stand stronger the next time and say to Satan "Ha, no way, that's not what I want.  You fooled me once, but not again."  


    You're right.  Jesus is enough.  I pray that for all of our lives. 
    -John
  • HisPurposeforMe

    Thanks for the comments and the encouragement! You don't know how much finding you all on xanga and reading your stories has helped me with my struggle. God speaks through you all.

  • StrikesOfLightning
    Hey man. Know that I read this post a while ago and have been praying for you this Spring term!
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