A well-made, beautifully cinematic and heart-felt movie that you may or may not have heard about concerning sexual addiction was released this past September called, The Heart of Man. The movie was released to ticket holders for just two exclusive showings in theaters this past season. It is now available to purchase as a DVD or on iTunes. It was very well received by those in religious circles and those struggling with sexual addiction. Regardless of your spiritual belief, this is a brilliant movie with a message of hope and restoration. Outside of the primary spiritual message the movie sends, the concept of how shame can destroy us internally is made painfully clear.
The backdrop of the story tells about the Prodigal Son, while running commentary comes from those who are recovering and finding victory over sexual addiction and infidelity. It features men who have had affairs, a wife whose husband betrayed her multiple times, men who have suffered sexual abuse as children, and a woman who struggled with sexual abuse and her own sexuality. Well-known and respected counselor Dr. Dan Allender (author of The Wounded Heart) provides insight and explanation to the pain surrounding shame. The movie also features William Paul Young (author of NY Times best-selling novel, The Shack).
One beautiful lesson that arises from this movie is that you do not have to be alone in your pain/shame and you can have hope to overcome this addiction. Whether it is a painful trauma from your past that drives you, or a compulsion that you do not yet know the source of, there is help available. Please don’t allow yourself or your family to be held back by this painful and powerful addiction any longer. You can watch the trailer of the movie here.
[Are you struggling with a sexual addiction? Or are you a partner of a person who struggles? Specialized sexual addiction counselors have training for not only sexual addiction but helping partners through the pain of this addiction. Search your area for counselors who have the acronyms of CSAT (Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist) or SRT (Sexual Recovery Therapist). S-Anon, COSA, and Pure Desire offer support groups for partners. Click on the link to find a meeting near you.]
