Questions

Have you ever questioned God’s plan or purpose? You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Let’s say that you have a son who comes to you with tears in his eyes and is confessing to you that he’s been struggling with masturbation. Your son is top-notch in regards to his faith but he struggles with this one issue. What do you say to your teenager? He wants to do God’s will in all his life. He doesn’t want to feel dirty or guilty but the reality is that men – from the dawn of time – deal with this. Now, as his Daddy, how do you advise him?

Do you encourage him like Eliphaz did when Job was afflicted? Imagine your 15 year old son hearing these words come out of your mouth. “Can any human being be really pure? Can anyone be right with God? Why, God does not trust even his angels; even they are not pure in his sight. And we drink evil as if it were water; yes, we are corrupt; we are worthless.” – Job 15:14-16.

Can you imagine saying that to your kid? How devastating would that be to a young man’s self-esteem? How devastating would that be to his walk? You say, “But what about the truth of us never measuring up to God’s expectations of us?” Well, we never will and God knows that but another has – Jesus. We are called to give ourselves wholly to him. He is our deliverer.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:1-2

            “But Chaplain,” you say. “My son walks with the Lord. He has given his life to the Lord. He seeks the Lord. Why does this weight still burden him?” I can’t answer that other than to say that masturbation is a struggle that all men endure. We take our thoughts captive. We pray that God will help us overcome our lusts – our thought lives. We press forward and don’t allow Satan to overcome us with guilt or shame. Shedding light on the subject – professing victory over our flesh – will bring us that much closer to the victory we desire.

            The true joy in all of this is that God always favors a repentant heart. King David was like that; he was a man after God’s own heart. He fell. He failed. But he always repented. That’s what kept him close to God.

Psalm 51

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

³ For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.

⁵ For I was born a sinner – yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there.

⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;

then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
¹⁸ Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit – with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.