We know that sexual purity is a matter not just of the body; more deeply, it’s a matter of the heart. After all, Jesus warned that lust was as serious as actual adultery (Matthew 5:28).

Sexual impurity is sometimes linked in Scripture with greed and idolatry (1 Corinthians 5:10,11; Ephesians 4:19), implying that one protection against impurity is a heart posture of contentment and true worship.

Put differently, this means that when our hearts find their joy in Jesus, we will be less susceptible (though not invulnerable) to the lure of impurity.

One pastor I know—commenting on his struggle with pornography—observed, “It was my drug of choice.” He sought it not merely for stimulation, but to “soothe” his heart.

Irv Woolf, director of the National Coalition for Purity, observes that individuals who are hungry, angry, lonely, tired or bored are especially vulnerable to sexual temptation.

So let’s ask ourselves: Is Jesus satisfying to our heart hunger? Do His promises translate into our contentment? Is the pursuit of His glory a sufficient and joy yielding aim, whatever our circumstances?

If not, our hungry heart may look elsewhere.

David Linde is director of church resources for the EFCA’s North Central District and attends Centennial EFC in Forest Lake, Minn. He is launching a district initiative to help pastors maintain or regain sexual purity through a combination of confidentiality and accountability.