Lust

Lust Defined: Intense or unrestrained sexual craving, an overwhelming desire or craving, intense eagerness or enthusiasm.

Lust in a negative context:
It's interesting that when we think of lust usually the first thing that comes to mind is the first definition. What is wrong about this kind of lust that the Bible speaks against is the unrestrained inappropriate nature of lust.
Mat 5:28 "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." God calls for restraint not only in our actions but thoughts as well. Perhaps having the thought isn't the sin but not retraining it is.

Gal 5:16 "So I say live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the lusts of the sinful nature." It is not lust or desire itself that is the culprit but the object of ones desire in this case those of the sinful nature.

1Jn 1:15-17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him. For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." Lusting after things of this world is ultimately a vain pursuit for this world is temporary. The key is to cultivate desires that have eternal existence.

The Power of Lust:

"Of all the worldly passions lust is the most intense, all other worldly passions seem to follow in its train." --Buddha Gotama

1 Pe 2:11 "Dear friends I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world abstain from sinful lusts which wage against your soul." these sorts of sinful desires which are referred to by the word lust are powerful forces that threaten our souls if not contained."

Perhaps the reason that the danger of lust is so emphasized in scripture is that it is so powerful and humans can fall prey to it if their desires aren't fully in keeping with the will of God. The more we are transformed into God's image and our minds and actions mirror his the more the sinful component of lust will fade away.

A Positive conception of Lust:
Perhaps because lust is so powerful we ought to inquire if there is any way in which this powerful desire can be used by God as a powerful unquenchable thirst and eagerness for the things of God. Ok so I'm not sure that there is any positive reference to lust talked about in scripture. This word always seems to be related to sinful desires having to do with our flesh. Maybe that is why it is so hard to be completely free from lust for it means having our whole selves transformed even down to the basic elements of our flesh.

The Nature of lust:

We have already seen how lust is a powerful force bound up in the desires of our sinful nature but I think an important component in understanding why it is so powerful is that it is by nature hidden. We can not tell how much someone is engaging in lustful thoughts in their mind. The mind and its ability to create and imagine is an amazing gift from God but its perversion is equally as awful. This is why there is so much emphasis on controlling our minds in scripture (1 Pe 1:13). The battle of lust is won or lost in the mind and this is why we need to avoid situations that might lead to lust, replace our sinful thoughts with godly ones, and focus on becoming more like Christ.

Application: I can't really think of any ways that I have fallen into lust per say but I do know that a lack of willpower in regard to ones basic desires is opening the door to lust. My mind is an area where I could use a little more control. It is not that I am thinking bad thoughts necessarily but that sometimes my thoughts are so repetitive and anxious when they don't need to be. I can even lose sleep worrying about things like papers, grades etc. I need to be better about taking my thoughts captive and turning them to God, so that if I ever am tempted with lust I will have practice in turning my thoughts to God and away from potentially harmful thoughts.