One Woman’s Journey of Sexual Abstinence and Faith
In a world where sexual purity is often misunderstood or mocked, one woman’s story stands out as a beacon of strength, honesty, and grace.
In a recent episode of The Power and Benefits of Purity with Mona, host Mona sat down with Sarah, a vibrant Christian woman who has been practicing celibacy for four years. Their conversation — warm, intelligent, and deeply spiritual — peeled back the layers of what it truly means to live pure in a culture that celebrates compromise.
Below is a powerful retelling of that conversation, filled with wisdom, vulnerability, and the undeniable presence of God.
Choosing Purity: A Decision Rooted in Healing
When asked how her journey began, Sarah’s voice softened with reflection.
“Honestly, it wasn’t easy at first,” she admitted. “I had been in a relationship where I thought sex would make us closer — but it left me feeling emptier than ever. When that relationship ended, I told God, ‘I’m tired of giving pieces of myself away.’ That’s when I felt the Holy Spirit whisper, ‘Come back to Me, and I’ll make you whole.’”
That moment became a turning point. For Sarah, abstinence wasn’t about punishment or deprivation — it was about healing.
“Purity for me isn’t about deprivation,” she said. “It’s about direction. I stopped letting desire drive me and started letting purpose lead me.”
The Power That Comes from Purity
As the conversation deepened, Mona asked Sarah what she had discovered about the power that comes from living a pure life.
“Clarity,” Sarah said without hesitation. “When you’re sexually involved outside God’s will, your judgment gets cloudy. You confuse chemistry with compatibility. But once I stepped into purity, I started hearing God more clearly. My discernment sharpened.”
She paused, then added with a gentle laugh,
“I used to pray, ‘Lord, show me the one.’ Now I pray, ‘Lord, make me the one.’ Purity redirected my focus from finding love to becoming love. That’s the real power — when you’re no longer chasing validation but walking in purpose.”
The Benefits of Living Pure
Sarah smiled as she described the unexpected benefits that celibacy has brought into her life.
“The first is peace. I don’t live with guilt anymore. There’s no anxiety about who’s texting me late at night or what I might regret in the morning.
The second is emotional stability. I’ve learned to manage my emotions without tying them to someone else’s approval.
And third, spiritual intimacy. Saying no to the flesh makes room to say yes to God. My prayer life is deeper. My sense of calling is clearer.”
Mona nodded, clearly moved. “You’re framing purity not as a loss, but as a gain,” she said.
Sarah smiled. “Exactly. Purity pays dividends in peace, power, and purpose.”
The Temptation That Almost Broke Her
Of course, no faith journey is without its battles. When Mona asked if she’d ever faced moments of serious temptation, Sarah took a deep breath.
“Oh yes,” she said quietly. “There was one night that really tested everything I believed.”
She described how, two years into her celibacy, she reconnected with an ex-boyfriend — a kind, respectful man who knew about her decision to remain abstinent.
“He came by to return a book, and it started raining — one of those soft, movie-scene rains,” she recalled. “We sat on the couch, talking for hours, reminiscing, laughing. And somewhere in there, that old connection came back. For a moment, I felt my guard slip.”
It wasn’t lust, she explained — it was loneliness wrapped in comfort.
“I heard that quiet voice in my spirit — the Holy Spirit — say, ‘Sarah, this is the moment you prayed I’d protect you from.’ My heart was racing. I wanted to stay, to feel wanted. But I remembered what I told God — I don’t want to trade long-term peace for short-term comfort. So I asked him to leave.”
After he left, Sarah said she sat in silence and cried — not from shame, but gratitude.
“I realized how close I’d come, and how faithful God had been to pull me back. Temptation doesn’t always look sinful — sometimes it looks familiar. Purity isn’t proven in the easy moments; it’s proven in the almost moments.”
Mona responded softly, “That story is going to set somebody free. Because that’s where grace meets choice.”
Sarah nodded.
“I learned that night that grace doesn’t just forgive you after the fall — it strengthens you before it. God didn’t just rescue me from sin; He empowered me in that moment to choose Him instead.”
How She Stays Grounded
After such a raw moment, Mona leaned in with a question every listener was likely thinking:
“How do you stay strong daily — especially in a world that normalizes everything you’ve chosen to abstain from?”
Sarah smiled knowingly.
“It’s not about one big ‘no’ moment,” she said. “It’s about a hundred little yeses to God every day.”
She went on to share the three anchors that keep her grounded:
- Boundaries.
“I avoid situations that make it harder to say no. If it’s late or emotionally charged, I call it a night. Boundaries aren’t about fear — they’re about wisdom.” - Community.
“I have a few sisters in Christ who know my story. We pray, talk, and keep each other accountable. It’s freeing to have people you don’t have to perform for.” - Intimacy with God.
“When I feel lonely, I fill that space with His presence — worship, journaling, talking to Him honestly. Purity isn’t about saying no to sex; it’s about saying yes to intimacy with God. The more I nurture that, the less I crave the counterfeit.”
Mona smiled. “That’s such a realistic way to put it — not perfection, but consistent surrender.”
Her Message to Others Who Are Struggling
As the interview drew to a close, Mona asked what Sarah would say to someone who feels it’s “too late” to choose purity.
Sarah’s voice softened again.
“Start today,” she said. “Purity doesn’t begin with your past — it begins with your next decision. God isn’t mad at you. He’s inviting you into freedom. Every ‘no’ to sin is a ‘yes’ to peace. And if you fall, don’t run from Him — run to Him. His grace is sufficient.”
And with a smile, she added,
“You’re not weird for wanting to live pure. You’re wise.”
Final Thoughts
Purity, as Sarah and Mona reminded us, isn’t about perfection — it’s about pursuit.
It’s not a restriction but a redirection — from momentary pleasure toward lasting peace, purpose, and power.
As Mona closed the conversation, she left listeners with this thought:
“Every step toward God is a step toward wholeness. Purity is not bondage — it’s freedom.”
💬 Reflection Question for Readers
Have you ever viewed purity as a gift instead of a rule?
How might your life change if you saw abstinence not as loss, but as a path to peace and purpose?
