Outlets of Hope: Part 2

Almost 10 years ago ( most likely more ), in a meeting with the young people of the church, a lady mentioned that when she has those sexual urges that she puts a pillow between her legs. At the time, I was totally disgusted by the lady's blase attitude. And even when recounting the story years later, I feel a little disgusted. A single woman from church that I admire overheard the story. Her commentary for the story was interesting. She said that she did not have to deal with those urges anymore. I asked her why not. She responded, "I prayed to God to remove them." It was interesting that she would want to remove something that God made her with but as I thought about it more , what need does she have for sexual urges? She is not married and she wants to devote her life to ministry. A sexual urge could only take away from that. And if by chance she gets married down the line, couldn't the same God who turned off the sexual urge turn it back on?

The same can go for my problems. I put too much hope in a future with a man. But if I prayed earnestly enough about it, couldn't it be stopped? Should I stop going places just because men may or may not be there, no matter what other benefits to my spiritual life attending these events might bring? No!! I refuse! Luther prayed three hours a day, in the face of His obstacles. Did he stop going places because it would cause disharmony? No!! Men do not rule my actions. God does and if I need to overcome a problem in my mind, I can trust it with God. Avoiding men won't stop me from fantasizing. I can choose to stop fantasizing and give it too God. God can deliver me from the misdirection of my mind. Men are not outlets for hope. My mind creates the outlet for hope and if you do not know this already, my mind is unstable. But what can be more stable than Jesus? Can I not trust Him with my hope? My friends? My life? My everything? It's one thing to say but now to act it out. Starting out with earnest prayer.
A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work. There must be earnest effort to obtain the blessing of the Lord, not because God is not willing to bestow His blessing upon us, but because we are unprepared to receive it. Our heavenly Father is more willing to give His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, than are earthly parents to give good gifts to their children. But it is our work, by confession, humiliation, repentance, and earnest prayer, to fulfill the conditions upon which God has promised to grant us His blessing (Ellen G. White, True Revival, p. 9; Review and Herald, March 22, 1887).


Next Post: Abide in Christ/ Willing to Die (Haven't decided if I will combine or separate)