Taking Steps to Pursue Passion

“Yet [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21).

This passage says that Abraham was “fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Faith requires that we put our confidence and belief in what God has said. it goes beyond what we think; it impacts the way we behave.

Claire Took a Step of Faith

if ever a wife was hung up about sex, it was Claire—and for good reason. Given into child pornography by her mother, Claire learned about sex in hideous, horrible ways. She determined never to marry. The problem was that her best friend was a guy and he wanted to marry her. After he proposed several times, Claire finally said yes and thought, Okay, I’ll just have to deal with the sex stuff. But she couldn’t deal with it. every time they made love, Claire had a panic attack.

After three children and several years of marriage, Claire read a book coauthored by Linda called Intimate Issues about God’s perspective on sex and thought, “This can’t be true. It can’t!” Then she read Song of Solomon and said, “I see it in God’s Word and, if it is in God’s Word, I’ll believe it.”

Claire didn’t stop there. It wasn’t enough just to have her thinking changed. She chose to act on the new truth God had given her. In spite of her fear, Claire bravely took a step of faith by re-creating her wedding night and inviting her husband to begin their intimate oneness all over again.

Was this step easy for Claire? Absolutely not. She had to fight through the pain of past memories, fear of vulnerability, and her feelings of shame. But Claire told me (Linda) that it was the beginning of a new joy in their sexual intimacy that flowed over to all areas of their marriage.

Taking a step of faith is difficult but we know you want to pursue passion. So, friend, grab your nikes and get ready to step!

Your step of faith will be unique to the challenges you face in the pursuit of passion. Perhaps you are not ready for a “leap” like Claire’s. God might be asking you to take a small, yet brave step, like Lauren:

While in prayer, I resolved to break a vow I’d made many years before to not initiate sex. Though my whispered and veiled attempt at initiating sex was so meager he did not even have a clue as to what I was offering (much like offering someone a little white marshmallow on a stick with no nearby fire to roast it). At least I took a tiny step in the right direction. Maybe next time, I’ll have the courage and ability to build the fire too.

What kind of step is God asking you to take toward pursuing passion? Here are a couple of suggestions:

• Write your husband a letter telling him that you want to work on pursuing passion in your marriage.
• Initiate a sexual encounter with your husband this week.
• Memorize verses from Song of Solomon that remind you of the permission God gives you to pursue passion.
• Call a friend or counselor to begin to bring light to shame that has been hidden for many years.
• Write a prayer to the Lord asking Him to give you the strength to take a step of faith that is unique to you.

Taken with permission of Moody Publishers from Passion Pursuit ©2013 by Linda Dillow and Juli Slattery

Linda Dillow is the author of the bestselling Calm My Anxious Heart, What’s It Like To Be Married To Me? And coauthor of Intimate Issues. As a missionary in Europe and Asia for seventeen years, she’s trained Christian leaders in Russia, Hungary, Poland, and Asia, teaching women and helping them launch women’s ministries. She and her husband, Jody, have been married for 49 years and have four children and ten grandchildren.

Dr. Juli Slattery is a widely known clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and broadcast media professional. Her commitment to biblical principles, relatable style, and quick wit have made her a highly sought-after speaker to women’s groups. Juli’s books include Finding the Hero in Your Husband, No More Headaches, and Guilt Free Motherhood. She and her husband, Mike, have been married for 19 years and have three children.

Publication date: June 17, 2013