Can we satisfy ourselves? Have you been able to satisfy yourself?
Dictionary.Com defines masturbation as:
“the stimulation or manipulation of one’s own genitals, especially to orgasm; sexual self-gratification.”
No matter how we twist it, we see that masturbation is sex with ourselves. But can we truly satisfy ourselves?
The truth is we were never meant to look to ourselves for satisfaction. We can never satisfy ourselves . Only in Christ can we find lasting satisfaction; even God said in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2:18 “Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’”
In first John 1:16-17 we are told “For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
Though masturbation can feel great and can bring momentary pleasure, it will all pass away, and satisfaction we find in Christ will not pass away with this life. Masturbation is/was never meant to satisfy us – we were made sexual beings, but we were never meant to find satisfaction in masturbation or anything else we turn to instead of God. That’s why we were meant to find satisfaction in Christ alone.
The top two reasons I’ve heard that people have used to justify masturbation are as follows:
- So they can stay “pure” before marriage.
- A main way to deal with stress.
If you are trying to follow Christ it can hinder your relationship with Him. I found that instead of praying about something or dealing with it properly I would run to comfort myself instead of seeking the comforter. We were made to seek Christ and sex was meant to be enjoyed between one man and one woman till death did them part.
Marriage was meant to be community and bonding between the man and woman – in Him, so that 1+1+1=1 through the gift of sex. The picture is of the bride of Christ (the church) with Christ; within the partnership also comes with hardship and unity.
But masturbation is a lie from the enemy that gets us away from the picture of sex God meant. Instead we are getting only part of the gift Christ gave us in marriage without getting the rest of the gift with community and bonding in Him.
Now is the time to take a stand and reclaim our gift from the lies that we have been told and believed.
Masturbation doesn’t satisfy what only His living waters can.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” –Albert Einstein
If you have found dissatisfaction in masturbation, then why are you still doing it?