You’re sexual desires are not something to fear

One of my favorite tv shows is “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.

I loved this show when I was in middle school and I still love watching the episodes today.

Although it’s a kid’s show, there are some deep understandings that are ground in the screen play.

One of them includes the steps Aang has to take on his way towards mastering firebending.

When Aang first learns how to firebend, he is instantly filled with excitement and adrenalene. However, in his excitement, he doesn’t pay attention to the direction and extent of his fire, ultimately buring one of his friends.

Throughout the series, Aang avoids any type of learning if it involves firebending.

He’s scared to try again, because of his previous experience.

He doesn’t trust himself, nor in his abilities.

Later on in the season, Zuko, once an enemy to Aang, becomes his friend and eventually becomes Aang’s ticket to mastering the art of firebending.

Zuko tells Aang that there is no need to fear fire. Yes, fire is a dangerous element, but in the right hands and with the right mindset, it can be controlled and do wonderous things.

In the end, Aang learns to firebend, completing his long journey towards mastering the 4 elements….especially firebending.

My Sexual Desires are like firebending?

Although, you may not be able to shoot fire out of your hands and feet, you do have another great gift, which are your sexual desires.

Your sexual desires in of itself are not bad. It is the way people have used them in the past, the present, and even in the future that have people thinking that anything related to sex is harmful and wrong.

God has placed these desires in each of us, both man and woman.

He did this for many reasons, but what quickly comes to my mind is love.

What else drives people to do crazy things?……It’s our desires of course!

Why would a man sacrifice and serve his wife and children.

Why would his wife and children do the same?

What cause men and women to enter the religious life, making vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience?

It’s all because of our sexual desires. It’s all because of love.

The love we have for each other.
The love that God has placed in our hearts.
The love that allows the beautiful gift of procreation between a man and a woman.
The love that never fails. aka. God’s love for us.

These desires, these passions can accomplish great feats if they are controled and directed by a sound and faithful individual.

The struggle though is that we all live in a fallen world, where we are not in control of our emotions, let alone our sexual desires.

This is the reason why there are cases of rape, incest, adultry, pornography, and pre-marital sex.

If we don’t stay close to the Lord and keep our passions in check, it opens the door for sin to come in and hold us in submission.

However, God has granted us a great gift. After the gift of life, God has given each of us, the gift of free will.

It is here where we have the ability to choose right from wrong, good from evil. This is where we show God our love for Him.

Yes, we will fail at times, choosing to do wrong, but God is an all forgiving and merciful God who is always waiting for us when we fail and ask for forgiveness.

There is no sin too great that God cannot forgive.

This is something that people fail to remember. It is so easy for us to convince ourselves that it’s all our fault and that there is no hope of redemption for ourselves.

Just like Aang and firebending, we must not be afraid.

We must not be afraid to express our love towards others, against the pain and suffering we have endured from past experiences.

By ourselves we will most likely fail, but with God we will surely succeed!

The passions and desires God has given us are a gift, a gift we will never know the full extent of while on this earth.

Speaking as a person who used his desires in the past for selfish reasons, I have gone through the trials and struggles that present themselves when one turns away from the darkness and walks toward the light of God.

Even today, I’m affected by the aftermath of my past, but I don’t let it stop me nor let them paralyze me.

Instead, I use these experiences to help others and focus on the positives, because God always brings good out of evil…always.

So, to you my brothers and sisters in Christ, in the words of the late great Pope John Paul II, “Do not be afraid!”

Happy Valentines Day!