How can an unmarried person relieve sexual tension in a non-sinful way? | GotQuestions.org

Sexuality as a Gift That Must Be Governed Wisely

Hi there. Many others like you have asked, how can an unmarried person relieve sexual tension in a non-sinful way? You can find answers and more on GotQuestions .org. Of all of the gifts God has afforded us, sexuality is one of the most challenging to use wisely, ranking next to controlling the tongue.

We know that the sex drive is part of how God made us, and he commands that sexual expression be limited to marriage. The unmarried must learn to cope with the build-up of sexual tension in ways that honor God.

We can't get rid of the sex drive, and we should not try to, for it is God's gift to us. But we certainly should learn how to control the sex drive, use it, and relieve it only within God's wise guidelines.

This is a skill that the unmarried and married alike must master. Sexual purity is something to which we always are called. First, we emphasize the fact that the Bible nowhere portrays sexuality itself as sinful or dirty.

Self-Control and the Difference Between Desire and Sin

We have no reason to feel guilty about our sex drives, no matter our marital status. Such urges are normal and God-planned. God created male and female along with their capacities, drives, and needs.

Second, the Bible commands self-control. It is only the misuse and abuse of sexual capacities that are wrong. In all areas, including our sexuality, we must strive for the mastery. Masturbation, often associated with lustful fantasies and pornography, is not an appropriate way to relieve sexual tension.

It is by nature a self-serving act that misunderstands sex to be about self-fulfillment rather than the giving of self in the one-flesh union of marriage. God has provided a natural relief of sexual pressure.

These are nocturnal emissions or wet dreams characterized by involuntary sexual arousal during sleep. Both women and men can experience wet dreams, a God-designed natural means of relieving sexual tension.

Practical Ways to Redirect Sexual Energy

For those who wish to be sexually chaste, here are some practical suggestions on how to deal with sexual desire in non-sinful ways. Appreciate your sexual nature and its purposes. Direct your energies into useful service for the Lord.

Pleasing and honoring God with your imagination and aim for self-control. Remember that the Holy Spirit lives in the spirit of a Christian. Jesus had to manage his sexual drives to the glory of God. When a sexual urge grows, exercise, walk, or take a cold shower.

Avoid all forms of unnecessary sexual stimulation. Follow Job's example. I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. Lying in bed opens the door to sexual arousal. Work with all your strength.

Manage sexual energy into service or challenging projects that will fully occupy your mind. Prepare for the responsibilities of marriage and the long-term benefits of sexual purity and make your mind work the way you choose.

Change your environment. Develop a hobby and take note of what triggers your sexual urges and share every feeling in situation with the Lord. If you do sin, confess it to Christ and don't let shame control you.

Accountability, Grace, and the Purpose of Sexuality

Cultivate close and honest relationships and accountability with someone you can trust. Hiding it will destroy your character. Realize that striving for the mastery may not be easy or quick. Use godly music to shift your mind's thoughts and take it a day at a time.

God designed us to have real relationships. The chief purpose of the sex drive is to move us toward our spouses, not to indulge ourselves. Sinful ways of relieving sexual tension can only reinforce the desire to act out in lust.

Sinful behavior cannot relieve the longing for real intimacy. In conclusion, the proper use of sexual power is about loving another, not oneself. By God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, we submit to God's will and God's timing in all things.

We can serve him joyfully and faithfully and without guilt. All right, that answers your question. How can an unmarried person relieve sexual tension in a non-sinful way? Thanks for watching.