Conclusion of WHY LIVE BY Bible Standards -"I Quickly Felt Relief"

Sarah discovered that her unrestrained lifestyle did not bring her the freedom and satisfaction for which she yearned>  "I felt that my conscience had become seared," she says.  "I was ashamed and worried that I might become pregnant or pick up a horrible disease. I never lost my belief that God existed, and I knew that my course of life had hurt him. I felt unclean, and it ate away at me." 

Eventually, Sarah found the strength to change her lifestyle.  She sought the help of her parents, who are Jehovah's Witnesses. She also asked for help from qualified Christian elders in the local congregation.  "I was pleasantly surprised by the warmth and love of my parents and the congregation elders," Sarah says.  "I quickly felt relief." 

Now Sarah is raising two children of her own.  "I openly tell my children," says Sarah, "about the choices I made. I want them to understand how disregarding God's standards affected me.  My goal is to help them appreciate the physical, mental, and emotional benefits  of living by God's standards regarding sex. I am convinced that God gives us moral standards because he does not want to see us get hurt. 

You too can experience the benefits of following God's loving guidance.  The Bible makes this promise: "The orders from Jehovah are upright, causing the heart to rejoice;  the commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine. . . .In the keeping of them there is a large reward." -Psalm 19:8, 11. 

Next time: The Bible Changes Lives

From the Watchtower magazine, 2011