How should I describe the process of change?

The phrases "resolving same-sex attraction issues," "overcoming the effects of same-sex attraction," "changing same-sex attraction in your life," and "transitioning out of same-sex attraction" are good descriptions of the process. It is a process of fulfilling legitimate emotional needs. Dr. Elizabeth Moberly explained, "One should not try to cure, or ask God to cure, something for which cure is not necessary. God does not ‘cure’ people of legitimate needs. . . . It is not merely ironic, but tragic, that people have attempted to ‘cure’ what should rightly be fulfilled." (Moberly, p. 41)

It would be easier to coin a term to describe the process if same-sex attraction were a condition that was the same for everyone and if it had a definable beginning and end. If we could measure it, we could determine how and when we moved out of it. But the individual elements that make up the same-sex attraction condition are simply life’s challenges that everyone faces to one degree or another and may have to work on for a good part of our lives. For example, there may not be a definable time when we can say we have overcome issues such as envy, lust, or denial. We may gain considerable progress toward overcoming them, but still struggle with some aspects for the rest of our lives. I’m not sure that in a lifetime anyone should stop working on improving their feelings of self-worth, and we can always work toward a more correct self-perception, constantly reminding ourselves who we really are and who we can become.

We are part of a human family that has challenges in life to overcome. We all work on a unique set of problems and try to become better today than we were yesterday. Our divine nature tells us that we will continue to learn and grow and improve through eternity.