Praying for Purity
You can pray, “Jesus, make me flawless forever. I want to be like you.”
Sure, the Bible talks about stuff that people struggle with, and they’re important to learn about. But when you’re asking if purity is no longer an option for you—because the mess was too big—the answer is no.
• Lust
• Greed
• Selfish Desires
• Sexual Compromise
• Crude Talk
• Lying
• Perverted Thoughts
• Abuse
God doesn’t want any of these things for his kids. None of this stuff was part of God’s plan. But none of these things keeps you from being made perfect again.
Even when one or many of those things show up in your life, God wraps you in…
• forgiveness
• healing
• compassion
• kindness
• humility
• gentleness
• patience
• mercy
God teaches you how to forgive (even to forgive yourself). He gives you the virtue of love that pulls every good thing together. God does this when we cry out to him for help. As you do so, you can find the purest place possible. It’s reserved for you at the feet of Jesus. When you’re settled in there, his peace will rule your heart.
You’ll sober from the intoxicating lies of the world as you rest in the knowledge that you’re okay. In fact, you’re more than okay. Jesus is making you perfect (pure).
• Pure is the moment your life changes in his presence.
• It’s the transformation you long for when you turn to Jesus.
• Pure is being forever flawless in Jesus’ name.
Your name, the name of the one who has messed up, is hidden in Jesus’ name.
Some things may be making you feel horrible and broken. You may have chosen these things, or you may have been a victim of them. Regardless, Jesus wants to soothe them with his peace and tender love. Jesus wants to restore your memories of purity and give you the wonder.
What is purity? Jesus is purity, and Jesus gives purity. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritually purity—Jesus gives it all.
The church shouldn’t be about patrolling purity and passing out purity cards to certain kids who’ve messed up only in certain ways or a certain amount of times. The church, despite its own imperfections, should be about offering Jesus. That’s because the church believes…
Jesus Makes Us Pure
Jesus is the definition of pure. He’s the answer to the question what is purity. If you know Jesus, you’re becoming pure too, through and through. Your past doesn’t get to define your future. Jesus does. And if no one has been telling you that, I’m telling you right now. I’m praying that God gives you a person, a people, a group who reminds you of this often.
I want you to know more of Jesus by asking you to give up all of you. It’s a brave exchange, but you can be brave when you know that nothing changes the ability of God.
Making the exchange is how purity returns. It’s how you’ll find peace that supports the belief that you are loved, valuable and worth Jesus to God. Be brave.
Brooklyn recently founded The Justice Movement, a church youth movement that helps teenagers help others. Her priority is to inspire and resource youth to break cycles of poverty through faith in action. An ordained pastor, Brooklyn has served in full-time youth ministry for the last 16 years, authored numerous books, contributes and communicates for Orange Leaders, and speaks at camps and conferences. She, her husband, Coy, and daughters, Kirra and Mya, live in Lakeland, Fla., where they like being outside, playing with their dog Marley. www.brooklynlindsey.com @brooklynlindsey/ www.justicemovement.com @thejustmove
