"Serious Sin"

I am sinful by nature.  I make mistakes just like the next person.  I have temptations that some don't even know about.  But, regardless of all the excuses I try to make, all my sin is harmful to me and my future spouse.  I have lived so much in sin that for years I, didn't forget about Christ, but I didn't feel worthy of having Him.  I lived in my sin because I either didn't see a way out or I just figured what's the difference of me having sin now than me sinning tomorrow?  This is a horrible attitude to have.  Sin is something we choose to do.  But, do not let sin fool you.  Satan has told me so many lies in the past and he still does today.  He constantly tells me how unworthy I am of having God in my life with Him being so perfect.  I am so not perfect and why do I even think that God would want me with the sin that I have committed in my life?  I know I am not the only person out there who has thought this.  In fact, I just had a conversation with one of my friends about this.  She has told me that she believes that she is not destined to have a pure husband because she is not.  She told me she would rather have someone who has been with someone else or has been married before because she probably won't find someone who is pure.  However, she feels so impure that she thinks that her future husband needs to be just as impure so there is not comparison with him being more pure than her.  I just find this sad.  Satan is capable of telling us so many lies that we start to believe them because it's the easy way out.  Now, I am not saying that she does not have a right to feel this way because there are so many times that I feel the same way. 

Leslie grew up in a church that had the idea of "You are all going to mess up in this area, because in this day and age, sexual sin is nearly inevitable.  But don't worry, God offers a second virginity.  His grace will cover you."  I see this as testing God and using God as a backup plan.  That's pretty much like saying, "Oh, just sin.  God will forgive you anyway."  This is not a way to live your life.  This is taking God for granted and we have already done this by Jesus having to die on the cross for our sins.  Why would we think that it's okay to do that again?  Sin destructs our lives.  Whatever sin you have in your life, if you are unable to give that sin to God, then you are going to bring that baggage with you into your relationship.  You do not want to burden your future spouse or yourself with such heaviness. 

I love what Leslie says in chapter fifteen.  "The beauty of a God-written love story is not something reserved for the perfect or the pious; it's for the sinners like you and me.  That's what God's love is all about.  We are so unworthy of His grace and forgiveness -- and yet He offers it to us freely."  How amazing is this?!  I am so not worthy of God's love.  But, He loves us so much that He gives us the chance to live with Him in our lives with no questions asked.  I just pray that Christians and non-Christians alike, realize that no matter the sin (without taking advantage) that we go through, we can still become anew and become just as spiritually pure as we hope to ever be.  I believe men and women sell themselves SO short when they choose to just give up and settle for something that God does not want for us.  If we are able to give our lives over to God and just let Him write our story, our desires of wanting a pure relationship and a pure spouse is so possible it's ridiculous!  Those people just need to give it to God and pray for their future spouse and leave it to rest.  I cannot imagine why Christians are now settling for what they think they deserve instead of accepting what we do not.  We do not deserve God but accepting Him into our lives is the most amazing and indescribable feeling that you will ever have.