December 16, 2013

The following excerpts are from the Joe Dallas blog “Lessons from “A Christmas Carol” Part One: Unchained:” … “Men don’t come into my office because of a bad decision they made. They come because of hundreds, even thousands of bad decisions, linked together to forge a chain they, like Jacob Marley from the Dickens story, gird and wear of their own free will.”

“It usually starts with a discovery. Some act – the use of porn, a sexual fantasy, whatever – delivers impact. Deep impact, which the brain carefully records for future reference. Then, when the man is either bored, or angry, or lonely, or uncomfortable in some other way, the brain reminds him of the impact the sexual behavior delivered. So he repeats it, then the repetition becomes a pattern, the pattern becomes a dependency, and a chain is forged.”

… “Yet it comes. In your case it may already have weighed in, and the secret’s out in the open. Scary, and horrible to go through, but necessary, because at least now it’s being dealt with. Or maybe it’s still coming, as inevitably as Scrooge’s death, and there’s still time to release the chain before it exacts a price you can’t afford. If you’re smart enough to recognize the inevitable, then you’re smart enough to do something about it.”

“Start by telling someone, today. Distance yourself from the chain, by whatever means necessary. Look long and hard at how much it weighs by examining the internal damage to your mind, heart and spirit. And give yourself the Christmas present of new freedom, a fitting way to celebrate the One who came into here promising that who He sets free is free indeed. A Christmas Carol reminds us that as long as there’s still breath in the worst of Scrooges, there’s still potential for a happy ending. Yours is waiting, wrapped and paid for.” …