I received note by email after the message this weekend. The sentiments and experiences provided here are excellent real life responses to this very difficult area of life to navigate.
I also want to take this moment to say
what a great message this past weekend. It is a hard topic. I have
to confess that I fell in this area about a year ago. When (my husband) and I
separated and divorced, I promised God that IF I EVER dated again, it would be
the “right way”. Well, I met this fantastic guy and I am
ashamed to say things happened.
For 6 – 8 months I lived in turmoil
over breaking my promise to God…and myself. It got to the point
where everything in my life was going wrong. I was having problems at
work, with my finances, with my kids…I couldn’t sleep…I felt the
walls were caving in on me and the roof was about to fall. I knew I didn’t
have God’s blessing over my life because I had step out of the “circle” (of his protection).
I wouldn’t go as far as to say I was “fake”…I really wanted to be godly but felt stuck. I talked about this to an old youth group friend and the response I got from them was like the video clip you showed (on Saturday night). “You were married before…it’s just sex…its ok”…but something in my spirit told me these were not the right answers. I know God’s word is the same yesterday, today and forever. When he said don’t have sex before marriage, he didn’t mean that for just the old or new testament people. He meant that for ALL people. He meant that for ME! I repented and asked God to then give me the strength to have a very difficult conversation with my boyfriend. I didn’t want to loose him but knew I couldn’t continue this way even more!
Well…very shortly after I repented, I
had that conversation with my boyfriend about my convictions and explained that
if sex was the most important thing in a relationship to him, then I wasn’t
the girl for him. But if he wanted a wholesome, blessed by God
relationship, then we needed to start over.
I really didn’t think
we’d be able to do that but it’s been about 4 months now and we are
both happier in our relationship. We are enjoying getting to know each
other the way we should have from the start…and I feel free. I’m
sleeping much better. The problems at work have resolved
themselves. My finances will get better now that I moved into a place I
can afford instead of struggling to stay were I was.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak…I know what pleases God but sometimes I fall and do what pleases Me. Then I get so mad at myself because I hurt the heart of God. And like Max Lucado says, “Casual sex is a diet of chocolate—it tastes good for a while, but the imbalance can ruin you.” Powerful.
