Same-Sex Attraction

These two conversations were in two different cities, at different times and from radically different perspectives. And yet they dealt with the same issue.

One morning in Memphis in the mid-80's, I took a friend of mine to breakfast. We had been in grad school together and he had just finished his M.Div. As we drank our coffee and waited for our breakfast, Jerry dropped the bombshell. "Jerry" said that he had been fighting same-sex attraction for years, and finally decided to give in to it. Recently he had gone to a park, smoked marijuana with another man and then had sex with him. Jerry told me that this is who he was and he wasn't going to fight against this attraction any more but instead embrace it. The last I heard of Jerry was that he had moved to San Francisco.

Two years later I was sitting in the car of another Christian friend. "Rick" and I had known each other for only about a year, being a part of the same church. He was obviously nervous as he tried to say what was on his heart. Finally out came his words: "Jim, I struggle with homosexuality." Etched on his face was a feeling of shame. Rick didn't want to give in to this struggle. He knew that giving into these impulses would not be part of God's plan. And yet he was dying to tell someone that he struggled with same sex attraction. I tried to mainly listen, tell him I loved him and prayed for him. The last I heard from Rick, he was doing okay and I think he eventually got married.

These 20 year old stories flooded my mind recently after attending two Wednesday night classes at Highland on same-sex attraction. Sally Gary had this battle for years and the Lord delivered her from it. Then He put on her heart a deep desire to begin a ministry to those who battled same-sex attractions. I salute what she's doing and pray a heap of the Lord's blesssings on her work, which is titled, "Centerpeace." As Sally told us last night, only Christ at the center of our hearts will give us peace. And He invites all of us to His table, with Him as the Center Piece/Peace" -- regardless of what we've done or where we've been.

Sally leads a group in Abilene of people wrestling with this pull. And she's doing seminars around the country, urging churches to begin similar support groups. Her big dream is to see one of these groups on every campus in America!

You may already know about her ministry. But if not, check it out on www.CenterPeace.us.

And when you get a chance, send up a prayer for Sally and this great work. Also, would you join me in asking the Lord to put on your heart men and women you know who have been impacted by same-sex attraction. I'm praying this morning for Jerry and Rick, along with some friends I know whose spouses, ex-spouses or children have embraced the homosexual lifestyle and are hurting deeply because of this choice.

May the compassion of Jesus flow through us in a mighty way, so that we will LOVE those who face this battle -- whether they're trying to resist it or have given into it.

Jim