My
unmarried years and your unmarried years are not meant to be spent pining away
in restless desire for a spouse. No, they are meant to be vibrant, filled with
an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church, as well as, charging
forward for His Kingdom with the calling, the purpose which God has placed on
your life. I have found that it is extremely important to remain stirred up
about the fact that God has a purpose for my life instead of pining away for a
spouse. The principle is charged to Timothy by Paul when he says:
“…stir up the gift of God…” 2 Timothy 1:6 (KJV)
It is extremely important to stay alert about what you are watching and
allowing yourself to “endure” in the realm of temptation. Don’t give temptation
a chance! That means run, that means build boundaries, that means set your
standard very, very high! Stay stirred up about your purity. Do not just endure
because with each little taste of temptation that you open the door to, you
grow weaker to resisting the consummation of sin. We are weak, but He is strong
(STOP AND READ: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, 13:7-10) ! Abide in Christ. Recognize
your weakness. And honor the Lord by guarding yourself against temptation by
clinging to Him and separating from the things that entice you.
There are likely certain places that you
cannot go. I cannot go to water parks, swimming with the opposite sex, or watch
a lot of TV programs because I know they are an area of struggling with
temptation. My mind just fights against me. It is not just a “guy problem” or
something that I “can fix.” I can’t fix it. Believe me I have tried, but God
has designed me to be visual in this area. The
Lord’s answer is not “I’ll give you strength to endure in this situation, but avoid it!” But don’t just take my
word for it, take God at His Word:
“And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and
he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out!” Genesis 39:12
(KJV)
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest
he fall. 13 There hath
no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you
to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved,
flee from idolatry!”
1 Corinthians
10:12-14 (KJV)
