Some of us are familiar with the work that is Passion & Purity by Elizabeth Elliot. In this book, Mrs. Elliot talks about sustaining purity in a world that’s full of passion. Pretty self-explanatory right? Well… no. It’s not. We live in a world of hookups—of temporary enjoyment—where two people are attracted to each other’s outward appearance, and decide to “have a good time while they are still young.”
As Christian’s that live in such a world, how do we fight against this evil? All Christians, but especially those who are younger, either in their age, or new Christian’s, are in such a danger of falling into the angst of the teenage mind. What are we to do? The influence of the world in this manner is something that I’ve struggled with. I think it’s something that we’ve all struggled with to one degree or another. And it can be an uncomfortable thing to talk about, trust me I understand.
To me one of the best things that I’ve ever done to help with purity is to work on my focus. And it’s one of those things that’s much easier said than done, but the eternal reward is so amazingly worth it. I tend to go to what God’s Word says in Proverbs 4:25-27 “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil” (KJV).
Our eyes constantly have to be on Christ. We’re temples of God, and everything we do should reflect on our faith in Him. Godly men lead in purity. And godly women, won’t try to deter from that. One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen is two people, that God has brought together, working to maintain their purity, and grow their relationship on the solid foundation of Christ. In the book and lesson previously mentioned “Passion & Purity” we are given a constant reminder on just how important it is for us to remain pure in AND out of a relationship. Set those boundaries. Find accountability to help you stay firm in those boundaries. A passion for God is the most attractive and important feature that a person can possess.
Ladies, pray for your future husband. You don’t need to know who he is right now, you don’t need to know when you’ll meet him. You need to pray for him because we are all human. We are all struggling. Pray for his purity before God brings him into your life. Pray for his salvation because a man that doesn’t love the Lord more than he loves you, will not be able to love you how you deserve. Pray that YOU are growing in your faith before God sends you to him. I have an analogy that I use often when talking to young people about relationships. It’s a triangle. If you have God at the top, you in one corner, and your future husband at the other corner….
The closer you two get to God individually, the closer you two will get to each other. And that really is a key. David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he stumbled with Bathsheba. If you think that you will be able to sin, and feel no guilt at all, you really need to adjust your focus. I encourage all of us to make sure that our focus is where it needs to be. Whether you’re single, or in a relationship, in a situation where you feel God moving you towards someone, or even if you’re not even considering a relationship and just want to grow in Christ alone, I encourage you to make sure your eyes are on Christ. Just because you may not see anything happening, it doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Ladies, a man that will lead you to God, and not to sin, is ALWAYS worth the wait. And men, a woman that stays accountable with you, and encourages you in Christ, is always going to be worth the wait. Don’t rush something that you want to last forever.
