A few years ago, my roommate and I allowed our hearts to be led into sorrow by one of the cutest kittens EVER. She was a manager at a local pet store, so I frequently visited the store to see the kittens, puppies, and fish. The exotic birds were big, and they scared me. I stayed close to her when we approached, lest I loose an eye or facial appendage of some sort! Maybe that's a little over-dramatic, but that's my imagination for you.
Anyway, she said we could invite a pet home overnight, and she'd take it back to work the next day. We didn't have fuzzy pets in our apartment, so the invitation was quite tempting. I withheld from the offer for a long time, because I tend to get emotionally attached to cute fuzzies.
"I'm strong," I told myself. I won't be led into grief over a simple little, cute, fuzzy kitten. Several months down the road, I asked if we could bring this super-cute, white kitten home to play with. We brought her home, and to our detriment, named her within the hour. By the time a few hours were gone, we were talking about what it would require to have her as our new pet!
Pets are require responsibility, and I tend to be a traveler. An apartment is also a small space for an animal. These were two big road blocks for me. Reluctant, but totally wanting, we started to seriously make some calls to inquire about pet deposits, vet bills, etc.
All night long I got up almost every hour to make sure she didn't want to come cuddle in my room, to make sure she was sleeping OK, etc. Come morning, she had to go back to the pet store until we made a final decision. Later that day I called my roommate...AND THE KITTEN WAS SOLD! We hadn't made a firm decision, so the cutest little white kitten had a new home. Both of our hearts sank.
We knew this would happen!
Isn't that such like a girl. We tease our hearts all the time. If we are crushing on a guy or even without a crush and longing for something else, we tease our hearts by our thoughts, music, movies...you name it. Somehow, our conversations and attention become centered on the very thing that may be untimely in God's eyes. I've had many a moment of teasing my heart with chick flicks. Afterward, my emotions lead my mind into thinking about the male relationship that simply isn't a part of my life right now. Music, the internet, and our own daydreams can tease our hearts in the same way. Wanting a husband or new car isn't a bad desire, but seeking after it in an untimely way is distracting. By teasing our hearts, we might reject or miss the very thing that God has placed in our path.
I knew that I would get attached to the kitten and then grieve when I couldn't keep it. But immediate gratification feels so good! I got to pretend and make up a false life with the kitten as my own. I totally do that with guys, too. Girls, if you are like the majority of us, then your heart and mind are easily convinced to go places that encourage untimely lust of something. And it doesn't even have to be a male relationship!
The next time you feel like a heart tease might be around the corner, talk to a godly friend or spend some time in the Word and prayer. First, set your mind on God and let Him know that He is the greatest romancer of your soul. Then, after you've reminded yourself of what matters most, make a wise decision that will help instead of hinder your pursuit of purity.
© 2006 by Kendra Hinkle.
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