I normally don’t watch Oprah, but happened to yesterday when Country artist Chely Wright was interviewed.
You may recall she recently admitted that she was gay.
She said that as a little girl she heard the preacher’s message that drunkenness, adultery, lying, and homosexuality was wrong and not allowed.
She struggled with that saying she prayed to God everyday for years to change her.
She grew up and continued to struggle with it; becoming a country star she dated some of Country’s most well known men but says she could not love them the way they loved her.
She nearly ended her life by placing a 9mm handgun in her mouth.
Her dad was on the program too and said he heard the same message that being gay was wrong.
He says he now knows that belief is wrong.
She is the perfect guest for Oprah and her all inclusive followers.
Let’s start with praying for God to change her; it is written that Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15
Did Jesus struggle?
“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:42-44
Sounds like a passionate struggle to me.
He went through the same prayer that Chely did; He prayed for things to change.
He prayed more earnest than she did.
But things did not change for Jesus; being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Phil 2:8
Sin is an infectious disease that affects every person on the planet.
It is written if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation ; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17
I may be a new creation but I must still struggle with sin. I must ask God to help me keep my own temptation under control.
It is not easy and not always successful.
I’ll share more about my own struggle next time.