Anyone else struggle with sin?

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ALL of us struggle with sin, 7.8 billion of us. Just, some of us have learned to deal with it better than others. Stay close to God.
 
Riman643 said:
Unfortunately you hit the nail on the head. It has been a nasty habit to break. I was able to give up alcohol seemingly overnight and barely touch the stuff. But those other two I’m lucky if I can last a week. I want to be able to stop the mortal sins, then the venial, then start doing pre-purgatory punishment. But it is really difficult.
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If it helps you’ve basically described my struggle. I have a problem with alcohol fueling a problem with pornography and masturbation, not that I always have to be drunk to fall into sexual impurity. It weighs on me enough as it is but making it even worse is that so many people believe I’m this great devout Catholic. I’m basically living a double life. Right now I don’t know what to do other than just continually heading back to the confessional.
 
Don’t give up, Riman. God’s grace eventually broke me of those habits, which I would’ve sworn was impossible. Keep praying and going to confession. Pray often to find your delight in doing GOD’S WILL, to love what HE loves, especially holy purity. Ask Our Lady and St. Joseph, her Most Chaste Spouse, to pray for you. From a bodily standpoint, you need to condition yourself to go without, one day at a time. I found it to get EASIER over time as I got used to it.
 
You too, patrick 9999 – don’t give up. I will pray for you. If I may ask, are you doing anything about the drinking problem? Prior to Covid, my parish’s AA meetings were regularly packed – there is no shame if you need help.
 
We’ve all struggled with sin.
I would recommend a daily rosary. It just seems to help. Some good advice from other posters here. One thing I would say In disagreement with another poster is that masturbation and pornography are pretty clearly sinful.

You mentioned how everyone in your parish is going to communion but few are going to confession. This is actually a major problem area for the faith. Some people just make up their own rules as they go. I would take that as an indicator that everyone is sinning less. More that they may not be well, catechized or just don’t think it matters sadly.

Edit: I’m sorry… I wouldn’t take that as an indicator
 
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B79 said:
You too, patrick 9999 – don’t give up. I will pray for you. If I may ask, are you doing anything about the drinking problem? Prior to Covid, my parish’s AA meetings were regularly packed – there is no shame if you need help.
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Thank you for asking. I’ve been in and out of AA off and on for about 17 years now. But truthfully, I’ve never put my all into it. I have a Step One problem. My head knows I’m powerless but my heart completely refuses to accept it. I’ve been encouraged by a priest to get back and I want to but with Covid there are only virtual meetings right now. Also, my wife and I have got Covenant Eyes software reinstalled on my phone. Of course, it has to stay there to do any good. I need a male friend as an accountability partner but I’m just too embarrassed to reach out to one right now.
 
Please tell me who they are. God’s Word says if we say we have no sin we’re a liar. We all struggle. The Apostle Paul addresses this in his letter to the Romans. The two natures. The fact it’s bothersome shows the Spirit within. Confess and repent. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is given to the Church for people like you and I.
 
I agree with the quote (which I’ll butcher here)… You can’t pray a daily rosary and live a sinful life. You’ll eventually quit one. Daily rosary… give it a shot.
 
If I can be that male friend or help you in any way, please let me know. I had what I am sure was the beginning of a drinking problem in college, and it runs in my extended family, but I don’t personally have that particular struggle now. I overcame impurity around the same time with God’s grace. I’m happy to try to help if I can.
 
A lot of people have responded saying “me too” or “everyone struggles.” While this is true, we should not use it as an excuse.

I’ve seen the title of this thread for many days now, but just today it prompted me to look for a Fr. Mike Schmitz video in which he asks what it really means when we say that we “struggle” with sin. I couldn’t find the video. Maybe it was another priest. Anyway, I stumbled across this other Fr. Mike video, which isn’t specifically about the sins discussed here, but probably relevant anyhow.


At the beginning, he talks about couples and dating, but around 03:00 he switches to solitary sins, and around 04:00 says something that I find astonishing. Check it out.
 
I also recall that St. Augustine struggled for a long time before repenting and converting. As a young man, he prayed “Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.” Sounds like me. He took courage from friends who made the conversion before him. I think he envied them, but he also knew “If they could do it, then so can I.” St. Augustine, pray for us!
 
Struggle? I come up for air every now and then.

As to Sainthood:
  1. All are called to strive toward it.
  2. True Saints never suspected that they were Saints.
Confessing the same old sins over and over? Be thankful! You are struggling, which pleases God greatly, and at least you do not have new sins to confess.
 
I sin daily as does everyone. We will never reach a point where we do not sin until Heaven. What we do is try our best and follow the way of Christ. When we fall, we turn to God for mercy and follow Christ some more.
 
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