So it’s an average Tuesday evening, just had an epic day at the CVM hub and I’ve decided to turn on my PC and watch YouTube for a while. Being a bit of a gamer, I start looking at pro-plays or top tens relating to different games or theories about them – average teenage gamer stuff.
I start a video and the first thing I get is an advert for a gambling website or if not, there will be one at the side of the video (either that or a strange dating advert). Not only that but in the suggested videos below it comes up with (amongst the ‘normal’ videos) a few videos that aren’t exactly rated PG.
Often these videos relate to the channel you are watching. So I might be watching some sort of fact video and suggested at the side is a fact video about sex or something like that.
Now don’t get me wrong YouTube is overall a great place. There are many fantastic youtubers and videos like Rend Collective’s channel full of their music and interviews, however it often only takes a few small steps before we get onto an ‘innocent’ bit of page3, I mean it isn’t hurting anyone, right? Then your body starts craving more and going deeper into the darker side of the internet. Once your mind is set on something like that, it is very hard to get it out of your head.
I mean if you read certain tabloid papers you are hit with topless women as soon as you turn the page – not exactly helpful for a guy whose weakness is pretty women.
As a guy I am constantly bombarded with ads for gambling and little steps that may lead to porn. Maybe for some, they are completely unaffected by it or feel no temptation to go down these avenues but I know for me it can seem like a constant battle to keep myself pure for God.
We know what’s right –
– ‘But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ Matthew 5:28
– ‘He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.’ Ecclesiastes 5:10
But we still find it hard. Look at it this way – We’re guys who have testosterone so we’re going to want it.
Whenever we are at breaking point we need to look up to God. The Holy Spirit will already be prompting us that the way we are going or looking to go is not where God wants us to go. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says ‘No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.’ So God will give you a way out, just keep Jesus at the centre and fix your eyes on Him.
We all make mistakes and get it wrong because we are not perfect but if you do fail and give in, get up, brush yourself off and carry on with your walk with Jesus – Whatever you do, don’t give up, He will not give up on you. As it says in Romans 8:1 ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’
The reason there is no condemnation is because Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin and death (sin being the bad stuff we do in life). He made this great sacrifice because he loved us regardless of what we have done or do in the future. This is great because it means we can know Jesus as our captain, brother, rescuer and friend and we can live with Him forever even when our time on earth is over.
Image Credit: Pawel Kadysz
