We also discovered something about the power of Jesus' death on the cross. We came to realize that Jesus not only died for our sins, but he also died for our guilt and shame. Up to that point, guilt and shame were like an enormous weight I dragged around wherever I went. But Jesus' death meant I didn't have to drag around that weight. What an amazing truth!
Answering My Prayer
I'm now a freshman at a Christian college. A friend of mine from last year's accountability group also attends this school, and we decided to start a group like the one we had back home. This new group is not only helping us with our struggles, it's also helping us grow closer to God.
I must be honest and say that I haven't gained total control over lust. I don't believe that will happen until I get to heaven. But I'm doing much better than I was a few years ago. I'm becoming more like Joseph: God is answering that prayer I prayed my junior year.
Most importantly, God is changing my heart. And it really is about turning to God. When I fill my mind and my heart with thoughts of him, and with the things he loves and desires, there really isn't room for much of anything else.
*name has been changed
A Message for the Girls
Are you shocked by Mark's struggle? Don't be. Mark isn't alone in dealing with lust. He's not weird, sick or a pervert. Mark's just more candid about this issue than many of our Christian brothers are comfortable being with us girls.
For guys, much of the battle is on the visual front. Guys tend to become sexually stimulated by what they see. Like Mark, many of them fight desperately to keep pure thoughts while they are surrounded by sexual images.
When he spoke to Campus Life, Mark shared that he'd like girls to read Every Young Man's Battle: Strategies for Victory in the Real World of Sexual Temptation by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker (Waterbrook Press, 2002). Even though this book is written for young men, Mark says, "It will really help girls to respect how difficult it is for guys to be God-honoring in this area of our lives."
Don't get me wrong: We're each responsible to God for ourselves. It's a guy's responsibility to gain control over his thoughts and actions. That's between him and God. But the way we girls dress can help our Christian brothers maintain pure thoughts—or it can make their struggle with lust more difficult.
I'd encourage you to take responsibility for what you wear. With the help of your mom, a friend, your brothers or even your dad, look through your closet and ask yourself if each item there helps or hurts your male friends in their quest for purity. It's something to think about when you're trying on clothes at the mall, too.
By paying attention to how we dress, we're doing more than helping our Christian brothers. We're preparing ourselves to attract guys who will want to be with us for the right reasons.
—LaTonya Taylor
