by Paul Kearns
Part of the challenge of living in these end-times as a young person is the battle with lust. This undesirable trait will rear its ugly head in your life at some point and perhaps is even something that you are struggling with right now. Many fight this battle privately, feeling ashamed and guilty, and therefore seldom raise it with parents due to the negative connotations that come from this issue.
Before we delve further into this important subject, let’s first define what lust is. Generally speaking, lust is, “an overwhelming desire or craving” (https://www.thefreedictionary.com/lust). Lust is not limited to physical pursuits as it originates in the mind (see Matthew 5:27-28), yet, if these cravings are not dealt with and removed, they oftentimes do lead to actions that can have devastating consequences. Although lust does not exclusively associate itself with sexual immorality (as it can be the lust for power, for example), this seems to be the most common pitfall that it involves.
Lust has slain many great men and women in the past. Consider that even righteous King David lost a significant battle with it in his entanglement with Bathsheba. Moreover, many unnamed people have battled with it down through time, leaving destruction in its wake (see Proverbs 7:6-27).
Sadly, lust is on the increase today in the western world. Sex sells, and those who push this upon fledgling youth understand this and are always looking to target young people in order to get them addicted to lust so that they can become another “customer” that is devoured. In a recent survey conducted in New Zealand, it was found that 47% of boys and 27% of girls aged between 14-17 had looked up pornography in the last six months (https://thespinoff.co.nz/porn-week/08-11-2022/what-the-data-shows-about-youth-and-porn). These numbers are probably an underestimation as not all young people are forthcoming about this silent struggle that many battle with.
Indeed, God inspired the apostle Paul to predict a perilous time of lewdness and lust emerging at the time of the end (see 2 Timothy 3:1-4). As Paul accurately predicted, many in the western world have become lovers of themselves, without self-control, haughty, and lovers of pleasure. With these deficiencies ever-present in our society, lust is too often able to take hold of even those who want to avoid it. Television and social media are often the biggest culprits in pushing lust on to its viewers, many of which are children, teenagers, and young adults.
With such a bleak prognosis, is there hope for you as a youth in God’s Church to overcome lust? Although you will not be able to avoid it, the good news is that you can make inroads in to this area of your life and, with God’s help, keep it at bay! Here is some wisdom on how you can achieve this goal. Turn to the Scriptures yourself to see God’s care and explanation of how you can overcome lust:
- Turn away from gateways that lead to lust. If something you are watching is sexually inappropriate, turn it off and walk away! Remember, lust starts in the mind, so be sure it doesn’t get started in the first place or, if it does, remove the lust completely from your mind, lest it take hold of you (see Romans 13:11-14, 1 Corinthians 6:18)
- Talk to your parents if you are struggling with lust. They love you and will be able to help you work through it. Although it can be embarrassing to admit we have a problem, more damage will be done long-term if you choose to keep it a secret and refuse help from those who love you the most (see Exodus 20:12)
- Talk to your minister – he can help you work through your feelings (see Ephesians 4:11-12)
- Never be alone in a room or a house unsupervised with a member of the opposite sex. This can be incredibly dangerous, especially for girls and young ladies (see 2 Samuel 13:1-14)
- Instead of focussing on physical desires and cravings, meditate on the Big Picture. Thinking about the holy days is always a good place to start re-directing our thoughts because God’s Plan is selfless and takes into account the whole world, not just us! (see Leviticus 23; cf. 2 Peter 1:2-4)
- Meditate on the Ten Commandments. God’s laws are there for our protection, to keep us from troubles. Remember, one of the Ten Commandments is to avoid lust! (see Exodus 20:14; cf. 1 Peter 2:11-12)
Yes, although overcoming lust is a tough battle, it is a battle that you can win with God’s help as young men and women. Notice what God inspired the apostle John in this regard, which can give you confidence as you move forward,
“I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. 13 I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father … 14 I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:12-14).
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