The Way of Purity

This is something I wrote recently. I was thinking through what it meant for me to obey God and choose the way of purity, to dismiss the world's standards and live differently, especially in the area of relationships. I also wrote this specifically addressing trying to view the single years as a gift, instead of a curse. This is meant mainly to speak to women, but hopefully it can encourage young men as well:

I won't lie. The way of purity is often lonely, heartbreaking, and pain-filled. You will see happy couples everywhere you go. Your friends will be telling you engagement stories, and it will seem as though everyone you know is getting married.

Of course you will be happy, truly, sincerely happy for them - you will rejoice at their rejoicing. The weddings you attend will be happy affairs. But deep inside you, you will feel the ache, the longing. Every love song will remind you that you have no one to hold, no one to whisper sweet things in your ear and promise you forever. From somewhere in your heart, the loneliness will well up and threaten to suffocate you, squeezing the joy out of everyday life. There will be days you feel like running for your room, curling up in ball and crying until you have no tears left. I am not trying to be gloomy or negative - just honest - this is how it will feel sometimes.

But this is my hope, my ray of sunshine piercing the clouds of despair: My Savior, My God, who has called me to this, has not asked me to walk this road alone. He has not left me to walk my valleys alone. He is always with me, my Guide and my sufficiency when I feel broken and weary. When I am tired of walking this path, He is my strength - even when I feel no one is there, He is holding me. When that consuming loneliness and discontent come upon me, He will be my joy. That loneliness cannot stand in the presence of His love and His promise.

That loneliness is now my signal to run into His arms. Yes, it is okay to take your loneliness, your broken heart to Him. He is "a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering" (Isa 53:3). He made every part of you, sees each piece of your heart. Run to Him, lay your head on His chest and give Him all your pain. Let His presence soothe away your ache and let His nail pierced hands dry your tears. Look into His eyes, and hear His sweet voice saying, "I have summoned you by name; you are mine." Bask in the beauty of holiness, in the glory of belonging - belonging to the King of Kings, the Bridegroom. When all truth seems drowned out, - hold onto this one fact, this one truth - you are loved by the King of Kings. If you run to Him, He will soothe away your hurt, and fill you with His sufficiency and joy.

So, as I said, I won't lie: the way of purity is often lonely, heartbreaking, and pain filled. But there is One who knows your heart even better than you do. He will supply all your needs. Run to Him; delight yourself in Him. Remember: in the end, when all is said and done, no one ever regretted obeying and following God - it WILL BE WORTH IT!