Sexaholics Anonymous Offers a Solution For Overcoming Sex Addiction
Each week in our local face-to-face Sexaholics Anonymous meeting, we read "The SA Purpose," right as we start the meeting:
Sexaholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop lusting and become sexually sober. There are no dues or fees for SA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. SA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sexually sober and help others to achieve sexual sobriety. (Sexaholics Anonymous “White Book,” “The Promise,” page 201)
I appreciate these regular reminders to our members of what the SA fellowship is all about, and what our common purpose actually is. I was thinking about the contrast of sharing my "experience, strength, and hope," with sharing my "opinion, weakness, and despair." I must admit that I have been to plenty of meetings where the majority of the sharing was "opinion, weakness, and despair”--not focused on the solution at all. And yes, I have personally contributed to that problem in meetings as well; especially early on in the SA program when I was still trying to solve my problem my own way. All I had to share then was opinion, weakness, and despair. Anyone listening to what I was sharing might have naturally concluded that SA meetings were a place to find sympathy for a life of despair, instead of a place where "they may solve their common problem and help others to recover."
Our purpose is clear
Giving up trying to do things my own way--by surrendering my will--meant working the Twelve Steps of the Sexholics Anonymous program under the direction of a sponsor. And as that journey began, I began to have some experience in the solution (and not just opinions) to share in meetings. I began to experience God's strength in me, not just my own weakness. I began to have hope because the SA solution was working, instead of my previous constant despair of bondage to sexual lusting and acting out.
We have a solution. We don't claim that it's for everybody, but for us, it works. If you identify with us and think you may share our problem, we'd like to share our solution with you. (SAWB p. 2)
And that's my experience, strength and hope, because that is what has happened in my life by the grace of God. There is a solution, but it will only work if I work it.
