One passage of Scripture that has really helped me in my desire to obey God and resist cross dressing is Psalm 119. It’s too long of a passage for me to include it in this post. But you can go – here – to read the whole thing.
Often people think of God’s commands in the Bible as burdensome rules and regulations. Obeying God seems like drudgery to many people, and often people think that if we obey God we are going to miss out on life. We will have to give up fun pleasures and be weighed down by stupid rules. Obeying God seems like slavery, while doing whatever we want and whatever we think feels good, that seems like freedom. This is the dominant view of our culture. And yet, as people go ahead and do whatever they want, and give in to drugs, sexual immorality, drunkenness, and the list goes on, they don’t find freedom but instead despair. They end up ruining their lives, getting into abusive and broken relationships, and getting health problems. These things do not fill the God-shaped hole in their hearts.
I have found that in obeying God’s commands there is freedom, not drudgery. This is what Psalm 119 teaches us. Not only should we follow God’s commands to please him, but it is actually the best thing for us to do. It sets us free to have the life of abundance that God wants for us. To choose to go against God’s commands only leads to destruction and even death in our lives. It not only hurts us spiritually, but will hurt our enjoyment in life. I’m not preaching a health and wealth gospel here. The Christian life is not easy, and Jesus even promises us that we will suffer because of following him. But in general, following God’s commands makes our lives easier and more fulfilling, rather than less fulfilling. Following God’s commands leads to life, not to burdens. And this is what I have experienced. When I started to obey God’s command against crossdressing, I felt so free, and still feel this freedom up to today. Being a slave to God and his law is a wonderful feeling of joy and freedom, and nothing like being a slave to addiction. With crossdressing out of my life, I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
Let me repeat something I said in another post. We should think about God’s commands regarding sexuality as a way to bring us freedom and joy in sexuality, rather than legalism. Think of it like a fenced in backyard for your children, full of wonderful pleasures like a sandbox, swing set, and sports equipment. God is the parent who wonderfully and creatively designed that backyard for the children to enjoy. But the parents, God, put a fence around that backyard, around sexuality. The parents know that outside the fence there is busy traffic, and no more fun and games. It’s downright dangerous for their kids to go out there. It only brings death. The fence also brings security and freedom and takes away the children’s fear. Without the fence, they wouldn’t be able to have as much pleasure as with the fence there. God has given us boundaries in sexuality, but has done so for our own good, not to limit us. There is freedom in obeying God’s commands. They bring life, not a burden.
When we fornicate with someone, it often leads to a broken relationship. When we give in to pornography, we hurt our marriages and learn unrealistic offensive views of women. When we commit adultery, we break our covenant with our wives and destroy our families. When we are promiscuous we end up with lots of STD’s and an emotional piece of ourselves left with each person. The list goes on. When we give in to crossdressing, we get consumed by addiction, get confused about our identity, and sometimes it can destroy our families or cause us to mutilate our bodies.
We need to learn to trust God that he knows what is best for us. He gave us his commands not to burden us but because he loves us. Sometimes something that God says we shouldn’t do will not make perfect sense to us. We might not understand why its wrong or harmful. But we have to trust God that he has a good reason. It’s arrogant to think we are smart enough to disagree with God.
For those of us who struggle with crossdressing, there are a lot of reasons to resist it. But one reason alone should be enough, and that is that God has commanded us not to do it. We must trust he has good reasons for doing so. See my post on Deuteronomy 22:5. Obviously, if you don’t think the Bible is God’s Word, then you aren’t going to worry about obeying God’s commands in the Bible. But if you do think the Bible is God’s Word, that it is true, then I see no other choice for Christians other than to try to obey God’s commands.
Here are some of my favorite verses from Psalm 119 which I think support the theme of this post. I encourage you to read them, meditate on them, and let God speak to you through them.
Psalm 119
32 I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts.
47 for I delight in your commands
because I love them.
62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.
111 Your statutes are my heritage forever;
they are the joy of my heart.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.
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