Patiently Pure
Patiently Pure
Pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (2 Tim. 2:22)
Charlotte took her seat next to the window for the flight home. She sighed and closed her eyes. Another wedding, another bridesmaid’s dress, another friend who found the love of her life. But Charlotte was still single, with no prospects on the horizon. Maybe I should just give up on finding Mr. Right and look for “Mr. Right Now,” she thought. It was so hard to be alone.
Some of the singles she knew spent their time at clubs and having one-night stands. But as soon as the familiar temptation and desperation surfaced, Charlotte knew where this line of thinking would take her. The catch in her spirit caused her to pray, God, I know that obeying You means keeping myself pure, in both mind and body. Please help me trust You to meet all my needs and to be my first love. Help me keep my heart pure to honor You.
Purity isn’t just being chaste and sexually upright; purity is a state of the heart. No matter our situation in life—single, married, widowed, divorced—God wants our hearts and lives to reflect the purity of Jesus. How can we keep our way pure? The psalmist says, “By keeping [God’s] word” (Ps. 119:9).
God says that sex outside the covenant of marriage is sin; this is His design for our protection and for His glory. God wants to be Lord of every area of our lives, including our sexuality. If you face struggles in this area, protect yourself with prayer, hide Scripture in your heart, and make a game plan for fleeing from temptations that may arise. Also seek accountability from a trusted Christian friend who will help you uphold God’s standard for purity as given in Scripture.