Before I jump into Chapter 5 and it's discussion of masturbation, let's reflect for a minute back to Chapter 3 that talked about Sexual Integrity.
I think it's important to get a good picture in your head of that table ~ the four legs representing your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being when the table is rightly balanced. Remember sexual integrity wasn't about doing whatever you could get away with ~ it was about loving God with all your heart, soul & mind. That puts our focus not on ourselves and what we can do to please ourselves, but instead on what is pleasing and honoring to God.
We covered the fact (way back in Ch 1) that God created us as sexual beings. Nothing wrong with that. With that comes a sexual desire. Nothing wrong with that. God intended for that sexual desire to be between a husband and a wife. The trouble comes when we choose to let that sexual desire go outside of marriage. This chapter addresses this in regards to masturbation {definition on page 9}. Unfortunately, since this is a God given desire, when it's released in the wrong way, it's still released ~ meaning it is hard to stop once started. The real testimonies on page 44 relate this well. Page 48 relates how it can also carry into marriage in a very negative way by creating false expectations. When we take this into our own hands, we are rejecting God's plan and His blessing.
So is all lost if you've taken a step down this slippery slope??
No ~ we serve an awesome mighty God who is waiting there to help you back up ~ give Him those sexual desires .... ask Him to help you focus on Him and not yourself ... ask Him to put those sexual desires back to sleep until they can be fully awakened within marriage.
