Chick flicks, pornography and all the sex-saturated ads out right now have a message for you! I want to caution you not to open it. :)
Do you ever wonder why things don't turn out like they do in the movies? I used to mourn that, thinking it must mean that people write fantasies into their movies because reality is not as awesome. But one day while watching 28 Dresses, it hit me! The main character meets this guy who is kind of a self-centered womanizer in my opinion. Without knowing 2 things about each other, they are making out. This leads to them being deeply in love, and they live happily ever after. Sorry, but I don't think I would live very happily with someone who doesn't know or value me.
But to dissect this, there's actually a deeper message in this movie. It's the same one you find in clothing ads (even the seemingly innocent ones), and the same one you find in pornography. The message is that romance means engaging your senses. Sure, you engage your senses in romance, but it's not the definition of it. I engage my senses in getting dressed everyday, but imagine if I defined "being dressed" by merely seeing and associating myself with the clothing! I would have a problem, and so would you. :) With my eyes closed, I may feel naked even if I'm not. Or I may see clothes in a closet and think I'm dressed! Similarly, we see someone we like, or we talk to them or make out with them, and we feel loved by them. When they go away, we can hardly handle ourselves until they are back in our presence. We console ourselves by thinking about them and fantasizing. We are taking our cues by only what we sense.
There is something deeper and FAR more magical, and Jesus came to bring it to you! There is such a thing as a love that engages your spirit. It starts with letting God love you for who you are. I'm glad we can't see Him, because if we could, engaging with Him in spirit wouldn't be the main attribute of our relationship since we'd get distracted by the physical. Anyway, so He loves us for who we are. We are assured of His love, and it transforms our hearts. We are able to let others into our lives not to make ourselves feel loved, but to share who we are and receive who they are! The joy of that deep connection bubbles over into romance. We love to be with them, to touch them, to delight in who they are. But we can be apart from them, or together in companionable silence without feeling broken! This will last through thick and thin.
I had been thinking of this lately, and the effect that my porn addiction had on me (see 4/23/13 post). It doesn't just harm you romantically, but in every area of your life. I used to find that it was hard for me to wait on God, or even to relate to Him without some kind of stimulant (not drugs :) ). I mean, if I sinned and felt bad, I would feel like something had come between us even if I'd repented of my sin. Also, if I wasn't singing worship or reading something good, or just feeling great about myself, I felt out of sorts. Even when I was feeling great, though, I didn't feel stable since emotions are subject to change. I just went from emotional high to emotional high with Him, and it was the same with friendships. When I hadn't seen certain friends in awhile, or if there was a falling out, I felt lonely.
But in truth, there is stability in every season when we walk with God. His love is stable. The Bible says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." It says that when we keep our minds on Him, "He will keep [us] in perfect peace." This doesn't mean we think about Him all the time, but that we are mindful of who He is to us (loving, accepting, and longing to make us holy). This is how those who are persecuted for their faith get through it! They are undergoing awful things which clearly don't feel good. But they are enabled because of a deeper longing. The Bible says that these people were looking for a home that is not here on earth. A home is where your heart can land, be at peace, and know without a doubt that you are unconditionally accepted. Word.
If your circumstances dictate how you feel, and you long for stability, pray. First of all, know there is no shame. God sees you and adores you. He wants to show you things you'd never find on this planet! Ahhhh! So ask Him, and prepare to be transformed!
No comments:
Post a Comment