In one of his most famous books, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis gives advice on growing in the virtue of chastity that still rings true. He offers three steps for those looking to pursue a chaste life:
- You need to want to grow in chastity.
- You need to believe that living a chaste life is possible.
- You need to ask for God's help.
Each step is crucial for those desiring to live a chaste life. If you have little or no desire to be chaste, when temptations arise you will almost certainly fail in abstinent convictions. And if you do not believe that chastity is attainable in your life, then why bother? You must understand that you can live chastely; it is not impossible.
And finally, you need to know that it is possible because of God's sovereign hand in your life. With God's help, nothing is impossible. So it is important to ask for His help: "Ask and it will be given to you" (Matthew 7:7).
To read more about C.S. Lewis's advice on chastity, click here.