Spiritual Wellness
"Sexual energy is the primal and creative energy of the universe."
Although hormonal changes are definitely a factor in the reactions normally associated with puberty and adolescence, a lot of the pain and confusion during this period of life is caused by young people's feelings of shame with regards to their sexual awakening. Many young people fall prey to this trap because our culture doesn't do much to support the process of awakening and instead casts it in a very negative light. There need to be more spiritual encouragement quotes teaching people that their sexuality is a sacred part of their life. Consider this quote by Deepak Chopra:
"Sexual energy is the primal and creative energy of the universe."
If that is truly the case, then why are we so often ashamed of our sexuality?
Sexuality and Christianity
Within the realm of Orthodox Christian belief, our very nature is inherently flawed and sinful, and so our sexuality becomes just another perverse expression that must be curbed and controlled. Sexuality within marriage is sanctioned. However, if sex outside of marriage is sinful then it is only a small step of the imagination, in a young person's mind, to see sexual desires in themselves, as well as any fantasies connected with them, as sinful as well. Other religions do not treat the sexual impulse much better. Generally speaking, desire itself is seen as something to be shunned.
Sexuality and the Scientific Community
The scientific community does not condemn our sexual nature, but it does nothing to uphold its nobility either. Science sees life as a mass of involuntary chemical and electrical processes that have no soul or underlying purpose (except perhaps survival and propagation). Sex is seen as a strictly biological drive that is in place to ensure that our race doesn't die out. Its purpose is reproduction. "Love" is a fanciful invention of our sentimental minds in the eyes of biology. How can a young person develop any sense of the sacred nature of sexuality when offered these kinds of descriptions?
What This Means For You
Each person will respond to this sort of cultural conditioning in his or her individual way. Not everyone will be negatively affected, and it is possible to develop a healthy sense of one's sexuality - devoid of shame - despite the disparaging messages about it that society tends to hammer into our minds. In any event, the process of sexual awakening would go a lot smoother for most people if the concept of shame was not so often associated with it.
Unfortunately, much of the support comes from alternative rather than more established approaches. It is provided by sex educators and counselors who aren't always accepted in the school systems. A lot of our society's thinking around sex is flipped upside down. Its appeal is capitalized upon in the world of advertising while the impulse itself is often considered suspect and impure. This cultural climate creates a lot of conditions that can be bewildering for a young person trying to navigate through them.
Young Christian adults need to remember why marriage is the best place to express one's sexuality. It is not because sexual desires are inherently sinful or perverse, and therefore something that God saw the need to control. Sexual awakening is not something to be ashamed about. However, it is an important part of your life that deserves respect, and the Bible teaches that the best place for an expression of healthy and shame-free sexuality is in a loving and committed married relationship.
Spiritual Prayer
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.