Don't Give Your Man Your Leftovers

I have lately been struggling to get over a previous love interest (from before my ex) as well as to break free from some sin related to him. Lately, God has put the following phrase/philosophy in my head concerning this matter:

Don't give your future husband your leftovers.

Your "leftovers" are all the things left after you giving away your body, heart, and soul to other men whom are not the will of God for you - therefore engaging in sin. When you're done, you don't have as many valuables to give to your husband - at least not as freshly new and pure. Yes, God can restore purity, and if you turn away from your sin, God will certainly restore you and restore the value to the things you will one day give to your husband. But every time I am struggling with sin and with my feelings for this gentleman who is not God's will for me, all I hear is, "Don't give your future husband your leftovers." Or GOD, for that matter. When you're engaging in sin in romantic relationships, you're not only giving your future husband less than your best, but God, too.

There is a philosophy/practice/lifestyle within Christianity that advocates purity on a level far more than just saving the act of intercourse for marriage. It practices purity in a way that keeps a person as reserved for their future husband as possible. This translates to not engaging in dating if it's not the will of God, in daydreaming about men, in lusting after men, etc. etc. because it robs your future husband of things that should be meant for him. In essence, every time you spend any amount of energy, whether it be mental, physical, or emotional, on a man that is not God's will for your or that you are not even legitimately dating, you are robbing those things from your future husband and robbing them from your purity - even from God, who should be your first love.

I feel that the words the Lord has been echoing to me reflect that lifestyle. In fact, I have felt God encouraging me to live that lifestyle ever since I separated from my husband. I have spent so many years robbing my future husband of many precious things time and time again that all I want to do is finally do my best to preserve what's left for him as God continues to restore me and the purity I lost.

I feel that this is a valuable message for so many women and girls today. I know from personal experience that giving away your purity just isn't worth it. I'd give anything to go back and preserve my purity for my future husband, but the best I can do is to make the best choices that I can today and preserve what's left. I know God will honor that and restore me, but of course I do still have those regrets. I hope that in spite of those, I can still know the joy of having worked hard to be fully devoted to him long before I met him.

I would also add that even when in a relationship that is God's will for you, you need to preserve your purity up to the point that he IS your legally wedded husband.

Don't give God and your future husband your leftovers!