Help Me...Im bombarded by thoughts of Lust Daily

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dumspirospero

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I would like to ask for everyones prayers…I try so, so hard to be a devout Catholic, but I feel like I am lacking when it comes to lust…I don’t know what my problem is…maybe it is a habit I formed from my previous life before my journey home…or maybe it is just a real cross for me to carry…either way, I feel it is my heaviest cross and it is so hard at times to continue on without the burden of tremendous guilt. I feel myself constantly weighed down with thoughts of lust and sinful acts…I am so ashamed. Does anyone have any advice…I go to weekly confession to try and fix this problem…I can control it at times, however at some times I feel like I have no control. I honestly do not want to be like this and I want to kick this habit, just like I have kicked others in the past…but this one seems so, so hard. Please help…I am at a loss. Yours in Christ, Sonny
 
Looks like I’m the first to post an answer for ya, Sonny.

Give thanks that you are aware of your problem… and that you know it is a problem.

I understand that saying a rosary… or even just a piece of the Hail Mary prayer helps.

Bring it to your mother… our Lady… and chat with her about it. Jesus gave her to us as our mother for a reason.

She really DOES understand… because Jesus gives to her what He wants to pass on to the rest of us. Perhaps you’ve heard this phrase…

To Jesus through Mary.

I’ve heard another one… which we Catholics used to say a lot in the 1960’s…and before. It’s this:

GO TO JOSEPH

Think about it… it’ll make sense for ya.

Please visit this Web site about the Go to Joseph thing.

catholic.net

Catholic.net - Catholics on the net

God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Catholic Church Teaching, Bible, Catechism, Prayers, Saints, Virgin Mary, Apostles, Pope Francis, Vatican, Catholic News, Life Issues
catholic.net catholic.net

St. Joseph married a woman who he knew that he could never touch in that way.

St. Joseph was just as a red-blooded man as you are. God granted him the graces so that he could live his state in life – and serve God that way… staying celibate his whole life.

Whenever you get tempted with lustful thouoghts, etc… please ask St. Joseph to help you.

You’ll be alright. Yes… you really WILL!

Hope this helps?
 
Thanks…your reply really helps…and yes, I have asked our Lady to help, but I have never really thought about asking St. Joseph for help…but I will. I am a work in progess. I will continue to pray and ask for the intercession of our Saints.
 
Keep praying. Keep going to confession. Fast. Give alms. Do penance.

Exercise! 😃 Get that energy out.

And understand. Understand that temptations will not go away.

With regard to temptations in the everyday world, there are usually enough distractions that the temptations don’t really bother me then. That wasn’t always the case. But for the most part, that is not where I have my troubles.

I used to struggle with lust a lot more than I do now. Mostly the temptations come to me when I lie down to go to sleep. They don’t come as often as they used to. I came to the realization that when I indulged these sexual thoughts, I was sinning against Jesus Christ in the women I was thinking about. God made men and women in His image and likeness. It’s a sin against the image of God.

Don’t look. If you’re flipping the channels and you see a half-naked woman, or worse, a Paris Hilton burger ad, change the channel. Look away. When you are at the grocery store, reward yourself with a candybar if you can make it to the cashier without looking at Shannon Elizabeth wearing next to nothing on the cover of some soft-core porn magazine.

Understand. Understand that if you objectify women in your heart, you will objectify them in your actions. Understand that you are invading the marriage covenant these women will make with their future husbands by commiting adultery with them in your heart.

Pray when you are not being tempted. Get to know the Lord. Spend more time with him and the temptations will decrease.

Know the difference! If an image of something sexual or pornographic comes into your mind, that’s biology. If you dwell on it, that’s lust. Don’t punish yourself for your biology. That can lead to frustration.

Surrender. You have concupiscence. Our souls are restless until they rest in the Lord. The most effective thing I do when I am faced with these temptations when I’m trying to go to sleep is that I remove myself IMMEDIATELY from the mental temptation. I say “no” to it (not out loud, but a very firm mental “no.” This is so very, very important. You MUST reject it. You have to forcefully send it away with a deliberate act of the will). I then focus on the face of Christ, pray for the person who has tempted me (she has a stake in this too, I don’t want my sin to bring a “woe” upon my temptress: Matt. 18:7 “Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!”), and picture myself as a child in Christ’s arms. I ask the Lord for mercy that I be allowed to fall asleep easily and soon. And I wake up the next day.

But don’t let your mind rationalize the sin. There are several major things going on in the lust (not when you are tempted, but when you indulge the temptations)…
  • you are rejecting God
  • you are wounding (venial) or entirely cutting off (mortal) God’s grace within you
  • you are adding gravity to her sin if she indeed intentionally tempted you ("…woe to the one through whom they come")
  • you are conditioning yourself to repeat this behavior
  • you are preparing yourself to externalize this behavior
Confession! Pray! Fast! Give alms! Exercise! Rosary! Pick up the Bible and read your favorite verse! And don’t forget about that deliberate act of the will to send the temptation away. Ask the Mother of God to strike at the head of the beast that tempts you, protect you, and drive evil far from you. She has that power.

I hope that helps.
 
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sweetchuck:
…Pick up the Bible …

I hope that helps.
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This is very important, sadly not many people suggest this but its one of the best tools out there. I think it was Steve Ray or something who said one of the best things to do is to replace those thoughts with Scripture. If you dont know where to start use a modern english version of the Bible and start at Matthew and keep reading through the NT. Reading the Gospels is so helpful. If your ever find youself really down from sin meditate on Psalm 51.

Dum, this is a normal thing that all guys struggle with, especially in todays world. The most important thing to do is not give up hope and know that Jesus will always forgive.
 
I have a similar battle with a related sin (maybe the same one) I won’t mention it specifically but it begins with an “M” The problem I have had is society tells us this act is normal and in fact tells you there is something wrong with you if you don’t do it.

I have been committing this sin since I reached puberty and developed a pretty big habbit. I would say at least once a day and sometimes several times a day.

When I found out that this is a mortal sin I wanted to stop. I only found out a few months ago. I would go a couple days and slip. I would go to confession as much as I could. Finally one day I went to confession and explained this to my priest. He said that since i was making an honest effort to stop Jesus knows what’s in my heart and since I have no control over this it’s not mortal but if I slip too many times I should go to confession often.

I have since gone over 2 weeks with no slips. I still think about it often but whenever I get these thoughts I think about how horrible I felt every time I stopped for a few days and how horrible it would be to have to start over again after over 2 weeks. I constantly pray for Gods grace to take these urges away and so far it has worked.

So, I know the srtuggle you are having and I will pray that God gives you the grace and strength you need to overcome your sins.
 
Dear Sonny,
I know exactly what you mean.

I can give you only a couple of advices from my own experience.

Lust is something that for some time in life and/or for some people is very very difficult to control. For some person this issue is NATURALLY more difficult to control due to character, education, weakness, psychological instability and a thousand of different factors. That is way you can find in the catechism that, for instance, masturbation might not be always a sin when the person is not longer in control.

But apart of that, one thing you need to have clear in your mind is that Jesus forgives us ALWAYS when we show that we are trying to behave like He showed us to do. And, please, do not forget that we, by ourselves, can not reach this victory ever. We need Him to do it. We need to ask him again and again to help us and put our entire life in his hands with our sins and our victories.

You will never get rid of that (it does not have to be only masturbation) by yourself.

Trying hard to overcome the problem alone can be very laudable but it does not work. In any case be ready to have “that problem” accompanying you through your entire life but do not make the big mistake of giving to much importance to this. If you only concentrate on that it will be very difficult to get rid of it. That is what the “master of deceit” wants. St. Paul had a similar problem; it was difficult for him, and also for S. Agustin: they felt the same than you and me, but they had Christ who was their strength to overcome these problems

I pray for you (and you for me) to go on in combat. But, please, do not get obsessed with this issue: losing some combats does not mean that we will lose the war.

In Christ,
Jose
 
I would like to share with you a model that helps me with any temptation. It is called, The Ladder of Temptation.

Sometimes you find yourself on the lower rung of the Ladder of Temptation and it is through no fault of your own. Maybe there was some external stimulus that you did not intend to be stimulating.

Sometimes you find yourself on the lower rung of the Ladder of Temptation and it is because you allowed yourself to be in a situation that would likely cause the temptation. Maybe there is a particular TV program or type of movie, with half-dressed women, talking in suggestive manners (and unfortunately, probably a PG-13, or even PG movie). Maybe it is a particular site on the internet. Or, even hanging out with a particular friend who tells filthy jokes.

In this second case, you need to remove the stimulus (if your right eye makes you sin, pluck it out). Don’t go there, where ever it is, or don’t hang out with that someone. This means tremendous sacrifice as the very thing which is stimulating may not be bad in itself. Maybe later it can be re-introduced.

Once you find yourself on the Ladder of Temptation, you WILL recognize that you are there. Now comes the hard part. Admitting to yourself that you are, in fact, on the Ladder and then imprinting that very moment into memory. Why? Because you should confess this moment to the priest should you climb any higher.

How do you climb higher? Dwelling, pure and simple. Not “changing the subject” in your head quickly, that very split second you first recognize you are on the Ladder. Dwelling is wrong, and if it is done deliberately, is sinful, as well. The longer you dwell, the higher you climb and the more likely you are to fall - and in more than one way when it comes to sins of impurity.

If you “change the subject” in your head the first moment that you recognize you are on the Ladder of Temptation, you are not sinning for having been on the Ladder, unless you did something wrong to get you there. This amounts to nothing more than a passing thought if you step down immediately.

Furthermore, if you should fall after recognizing you were on the Ladder of Temptation, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, you have to ask yourself how high up the Ladder you went before you fell. If you fell only half-way up, then you only put a half-hearted effort into stopping. If you ended up falling from the top rung (strongest temptation you ever felt), refer back to the original issue of “how did I get this high on the Ladder to begin with”. USE THAT, to learn from so that you don’t use it as an excuse to climb higher again. One by one, you begin to eliminate what is causing you to climb higher.

Most of all, be patient with yourself. The Ladder of Temptation is a learning process to help you identify the triggers that enable the temptation in the first place, when they are in your control, and to enable you to spot triggers that enable climbing.

Once something is visible, you can work on it. No matter how hard it is to make that change, offer it up. If not for yourself, then for some unknown child out there to gain strength - a young boy for example - who is just now discovering that pornography and self-abuse are sinful and wants to stop, but can’t. Offer that pain of not giving yourself what you want to someone who really needs similar help. Or, offer it up for some unknown child who is being sexually abused, and for the abuser that makes the child’s life so miserable that he or she may stop.

There is no greater incentive than carrying that cross you have for someone else’s intention.

Hope this helps.
 
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dumspirospero:
I would like to ask for everyones prayers…I try so, so hard to be a devout Catholic, but I feel like I am lacking when it comes to lust…I don’t know what my problem is…maybe it is a habit I formed from my previous life before my journey home…or maybe it is just a real cross for me to carry…either way, I feel it is my heaviest cross and it is so hard at times to continue on without the burden of tremendous guilt. I feel myself constantly weighed down with thoughts of lust and sinful acts…I am so ashamed. Does anyone have any advice…I go to weekly confession to try and fix this problem…I can control it at times, however at some times I feel like I have no control. I honestly do not want to be like this and I want to kick this habit, just like I have kicked others in the past…but this one seems so, so hard. Please help…I am at a loss. Yours in Christ, Sonny
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Dear friend

There is nothing wrong with you.

Do you think for one minute satan and his pals want you to have peace of heart, mind and spirit in faith in Christ Jesus? Do you think they are happy to see you go undistracted by such thoughts? Do you find that when you settle your soul down to pray that these thoughts bombard you, perhaps especially at Mass?

I am sure that they bombard you and you get yourself all uptight and it interrupts your prayer time.

Some of what is going on is part of the broken human nature and some of what is going on is a temptation of satan. Either way you shouldn’t worry about it or get upset, nor should you pay any never mind to these thoughts.

If all people were honest, they would have to admit that when their faith has deepend they find themselves distracted in all manner of ways and one such way is lustful thoughts; some people even experiencing sexual thoughts about Jesus and Mary, this happens friend and it is a temptation and part of the broken self rebelling against your deepened and most beautiful spirituality. The human psychology is such that such holy strivings is a strange and foreign thing to the broken human nature and an internal struggle commences, a spiritual battle. In this internal struggle you are not alone, Christ Jesus endures this with you and endows you with His strength and grace if you hide in Him.

The interior spirituality is a wild and wonderous place and must be kept in check with the Sacraments, especially spiritual direction in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You have not sinned if you have refused these thoughts and brushed them aside every time they enter into you mind. Even if you have not sinned obtain the grace and peace of Christ Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as well as spiritual direction from Jesus from the mouth of the Priest. Talk to your Priest about this.

You mustn’t let this persecute you nor drag you down or cause you to run from the Sacraments, this is exactly what satan desires. Instead run to Jesus and tell Him, in detail, all about this persecution you endure from satan and from your own broken self and He will heal it. I promise you.

See your Priest

You are in my prayers. The suffering you endure internally is a terrible suffering and unite it to Christ Jesus’ suffering in the Agony in the Garden, for your own soul, souls of sinners and for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; Jesus will be most pleased with this and will heal you.

Christ gives you His peace, His peace He leaves you, you will find it when you tell Him everything and seek Him there in His Sacrament of Reconciliation.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Thanks Teresa…you are so, so right. I notice the temptation is so much greater after I attend Mass…Thanks for your support and prayers…God Bless you.
 
Go to this site, and copy off the prayers. Then you go to confession, and afterwards, find a quiet time when you’re alone, and pray these prayers—forcefully, sincerely, and faithfully.

And every time you feel the temptations coming on, you rebuke the spirits doing the tempting agin, using the prayers on the second page of your hard copy.

It works. But you have to work at it, too.

stmichael.pair.com/PRAYERS.htm
 
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sweetchuck:
Exercise! 😃 Get that energy out.
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I understand St. Francis was in the habit of throwing himself in thornbushes whenever this temptation came upon him. Not trying to be facetious, but exercise is a great piece of advice!
nianka
 
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nianka:
I understand St. Francis was in the habit of throwing himself in thornbushes whenever this temptation came upon him. Not trying to be facetious, but exercise is a great piece of advice!
nianka
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Yet again, St. Francis and Catholic tradition putting modern behavioral therapy to shame. I bet his temptations gave up quickly in the face of that kind of resilience. 😃
 
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Wolseley:
Go to this site, and copy off the prayers. Then you go to confession, and afterwards, find a quiet time when you’re alone, and pray these prayers—forcefully, sincerely, and faithfully.

And every time you feel the temptations coming on, you rebuke the spirits doing the tempting agin, using the prayers on the second page of your hard copy.

It works. But you have to work at it, too.

stmichael.pair.com/PRAYERS.htm
Click to expand...
Where do the spirits live?
 
Hi there dumspirospero ! 👍

Just to let you know that I’m keeping you in my prayers…

I remember a similar question that was posted on the EWTN website and the “spiritual medication” recommended was as follows:
  1. Eucharist as often as possible, preferably daily.
  2. Read the Bible daily and really let it soak into your heart.
  3. Regular confession, weekly if possible.
  4. Fasting, this is incredibly powerful for breaking bonds that ensnare us. I don’t think we use it half often enough. It is such a powerful weapon & protection and also trains us in self-control so may be particularly good for problems of lust.
  5. Daily rosary.
  6. Spiritual reading - particularly of the lives of the Saints.
I hope this helps…

Keeping you in my prayers. 😉

God bless,

Sinead
 
This is what helps:

It may sound oversimplified, but just TRY it. I can almost guarantee this will help.
  1. Get a hobby. If you don’t have a hobby, take one up, if you have one, spend more time on it. If your problem is JUST within your own head, you need to keep that head occupied with so many other things, that you simply won’t have room for it.
  2. RUN. If what is tempting you is a person, stay away from that person no matter what the cost. If you have to quit a class, take a different job, join a different church, DO IT.
If what is bothering you is something you see on t.v. or the internet, stay off t.v. or stay off those internet sites. Just tell yourself that you cannot go there. There is also a program called COVENANT EYES you might look into. It puts spyware on your computer so that your accountability partner (NOT your wife) can see if you’ve been on any naughty sites. You have to be honest with this person because they will keep you accountable. Please trust me on this, it may sound extreme, but it is true.
  1. Stop and pray. If you start to think something you know isn’t right, turn to God RIGHT then.
Hope that helps, God bless.
 
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nianka:
I understand St. Francis was in the habit of throwing himself in thornbushes whenever this temptation came upon him. Not trying to be facetious, but exercise is a great piece of advice!
nianka
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And I’m going to add to that. Get out and mow the yard. Mow the old lady’s yard down the street… for free. Volunteer in a soup kitchen. Find your local Sisters of Charity and volunteer. In other words, do something FOR SOMEONE ELSE to get your mind off of you (sometimes our worst enemy is us, to paraphrase Ogden Nash). Step outside yourself.
Good Luck
nianka
 
Sonny,

I will add you to my prayer list. I am in the same situation as you brother. It is such a difficult battle! It is so hard. Some advice I just received yesterday is that to avoid lust and the related, you must avert your eyes and/or mind when it comes. And I had a true test of that last night with a woman and a suggestive top. Took me a few tries, but I finally managed to stop looking. Keep up the fight! I’ll pray for you, you pray for me.

Petertherock,
I will also add you to my prayer list. I was under the addiction of “M” for many years. It took a great deal of work to get past it, and yes, I stumbled many times along the road to freedom. All I can say is keep trying and keep praying. It is a hard road! I have been “free” for over a year now, and I still get strong urges to indulge in it every once in a while. I have heard that having an accountability partner is a great help…I did not have this benefit.
 
Hey Sonny,
I’ll keep you in prayer and today is the Feast Day of Maria Goretti - patron saint of purity. I will offer you and all those on this forum who need assiatance.

July 6, 2005
St. Maria Goretti
(1890-1902)
One of the largest crowds ever assembled for a
canonization—250,000—symbolized the reaction of millions touched by the simple story of Maria Goretti.

She was the daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer, had no chance to go to school, never learned to read or write. When she made her First Communion not long before her death at age 12, she was one of the larger and somewhat backward members of the class.

On a hot afternoon in July, Maria was sitting at the top of the stairs of her house, mending a shirt. She was not quite 12 years old, but physically mature. A cart stopped outside, and a neighbor, Alessandro, 18 years old, ran up the stairs. He seized her and pulled her into a bedroom. She struggled and tried to call for help, gasping that she would be killed rather than submit. “No, God does not wish it. It is a sin. You would go to hell for it.” Alessandro began striking at her blindly with a long dagger.
She was taken to a hospital. Her last hours were marked by the usual simple compassion of the good—concern about where her mother would sleep, forgiveness of her murderer (she had been in fear of him, but did not say anything lest she cause trouble to his family) and her devout welcoming of Viaticum. She died about 24 hours after the attack.

Her murderer was sentenced to 30 years in prison. For a long time he was unrepentant and surly. One night he had a dream or vision of Maria, gathering flowers and offering them to him. His life changed. When he was released after 27 years, his first act was to go to beg the forgiveness of Maria’s mother. Devotion to the young martyr grew, miracles were worked, and in less than half a century she was canonized. At her beatification in 1947, her
mother (then 82), two sisters and a brother appeared with Pope Pius XII on the balcony of St. Peter’s. Three years later, at her canonization, a 66-year-old Alessandro Serenelli knelt among the quarter-million people and cried tears of joy.

Source : community.webtv.net/Tortorella/Trinitarian
 
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