Lust: You've Been Sold a Disease as a Pleasure

The struggle to quit porn doesn’t exist because lust is too powerful.
The struggle exists because we’ve believed the wrong story about it.

The false story says it’s just a small pleasure. A moment of relief. A harmless escape.

But here's the truth:
You're not giving up a treasure.
You're walking out of a trap.

Imagine a mosquito bite.

At first, the itch is small, just annoying enough to notice. You know scratching will make it worse, but you do it anyway. It feels good for a moment. Almost like you’re fixing the problem.

But what happens?

The itch comes back stronger. The area swells. It spreads. You dig in deeper. And now the skin is broken, the irritation gets worse, and the healing slows down.

The same is with porn.

The itch is the craving.
Scratching it is giving in.

Does it solve the problem? Not at all.

“Scratching is relief” is a lie. A trap. It makes the wound bigger, irritation stronger and multiplies the time healing to take place.

We think the craving is unbearable. It's not.
We think giving in will satisfy. But it never does.

Because porn doesn't relieve the emptiness. It creates it.

And every time you watch, you’re not fulfilling a desire. You’re feeding disease. A kind of addiction that looks like pleasure but leaves you numb, anxious, drained and ashamed.

You may tell yourself, "It’s not that bad. I’m just stressed. I need a little release."

But ask yourself:
Does real pleasure leave you feeling empty?

The Difference Between Food and Porn

Food was made by God to fuel us.
It's enjoyable, necessary, and deeply satisfying.

It energizes.
It brings people together.
It fills you and leaves no shame behind.

Porn is the opposite.

It promises satisfaction but it only stirs more craving.
It drains your energy.
Kills your drive.
Leaves you alone and regretful.

Food is survival. Porn is self-harm.

The Truth About Porn’s “Pleasure”

1. It Creates Craving, Not Fulfillment
   You don't walk away from porn satisfied.
   You walk away needing more, not because you loved it, but because you're trying to fix the mess it created in you.

2. It Hijacks Your Brain
   Dopamine floods your system but it's artificial.
   Real joy comes from love, purpose, and connection.
   Porn deadens those very things, leaving you addicted to the chase the high, not the reward.

3. You’re Hooked on Anticipation, Not Intimacy
   The thrill isn't in the act, but in the scrolling, the search and the possibility of finding something so exciting it will launch you to a new high.
   You spend hours chasing a dopamine high, but when it’s over, there’s nothing left but emptiness.

4. You Keep Needing More
   What once shocked you no longer does.
   So you escalate to more intense, more extreme, until your conscience is numb and your spirit is sick.

5. You Always Regret It After
   Real pleasure brings joy.
   Porn brings guilt.
   Every. Single. Time.

Jesus said,

Porn is the thief.

It promises relief. But steals your time, your strength, your intimacy, your freedom.
And it kills the part of you meant for real love.

Jesus offers life. Not just survival.

Abundance.

He doesn’t just ask you to stop scratching the wound.
He offers to heal it.

In the face of temptation, it feels like porn will give abundance of life.
But in reality, it abundantly robs you.
Often feels like pursuing God can’t give pleasure, but once your heart connects to His, there’s nothing that compares to the joy we find in Him. It abundantly satisfies.

You know why the desires are backwards? Because the flesh is against the spirit. Spirit gives life. The flesh loves sin that leads to death.

Relapse isn't weakness. It's a misdiagnosis.

You're not just falling - you're reaching for a cure that can't cure.
You’re scratching because you’re still itchy.
But the real issue is deeper.

And it needs more than willpower. It needs grace.

You don’t break free by hating yourself.
You break free by seeing clearly:

Porn isn't a pleasure you're losing.
It’s a poison you’re refusing.

So stop scratching.
Let the wound close.
And let the Healer step in.

Share this with a friend if this was a blessing!

Have an awesome week!