I now realize nothing will change me

[MainBrain]

I realize now, after battling the same sins, year after year after year, that nothing is going to change me. I will never overcome the sins that I fall into. I can go to confession and confess these sins. But I’ll just do them again. And will the Church or the Priest be there for me when I am about to fall? Of course not! In other words, no one gives a hoot if I sin or don’t sin. I’m on my own in this sad world!

And another thing, we people who are struggling to make ends meet day after day, year after year, don’t have any much vested in the Catholic or Christian message, as those who get a salary from it. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there is something wrong with making a salary from being in a religious vocation. That is a good thing. But that means that the person in the paying vocation is SUPPOSED TO put 100% of their time in studying the faith. But commoners like you and me have to get up every morning, and fight the fight of the daily grind of life! It’s tiring! And then we are supposed to sit back at the feet of the “religious opinion makers?” I’m tired of it all.

I’ll probably go back to Confession. I’ll continue to try to live a good life.

But I really wonder if there will be change.

 

[LPS]

I realize now … I will never overcome the sins that I fall into…

Congratulations - you’ve discoverd the Truth!

“You” really will never overcome … only Jesus can. Now that you see Truth, are you ready to humble yourself greatly? Beg Him to overcome for you? Surrender completely to God?

That is not a 1-time event, and no matter how sincerely you do it you are sure to stumble again. But finally, I think, you will be on the right path to healing and truly overcoming.

I’m not trying to be unkind or snarky at all - these are sometimes the moments when the lightbulb goes off and we finally are able to see just how unable we are to “save ourselves.”

Remember, if a certain sin remains, it may be a thorn He allows to keep you humble. But try, dear friend, to allow Jesus to do this work in you. You aren’t alone; you have a Savior waiting to help.

 

[MainBrain]

I don’t know what you’re trying to change, but there’s no need to beat yourself up for falling. That’s only human, and it’s the getting back up that counts.

But how many years am I supposed to continue living until I realize that I will not change?
I mean, I’m middle aged. I have to just accept that I have my limitations and weaknesses.
I will never reach a holiness. Maybe I don’t want to.

 

[puzzledtoo]

If you continue with the defeatist attitude you are putting down in the op then yes you are probably correct, you probably will not overcome the vices that you are writing about.
However if you can find the strength and fortitude to let go of the egotism and that defeatist attitude there may well be more change in your life than you can imagine at this moment.
I write “more change” because I’ve already noticed change from the beginning of the post to the ending of it. A change in attitude. Thoughts come and go. Beliefs come and go. Emotions come and go. This is all change.
“Endeavor to persevere”- - A line from The Outlaw Josey Wales. (Couldn’t help it)

 

[fred_conty]

But how many years am I supposed to continue living until I realize that I will not change?
I mean, I’m middle aged. I have to just accept that I have my limitations and weaknesses.
I will never reach a holiness. Maybe I don’t want to.

That is key … to want to.

If I may, I offer you a suggestion that works.

Just be honest with Jesus and tell him that you really don’t want to get over your sins and try. Tell him that you are helpless, like a broken leg that won’t mend. Then admit to him that if this is to be over come, you can’t do it without him.

Then … every so often during the day just say a short prayer like this … “Lord, help me to want to try.” It’s important that you tell him to help you WANT to do it and not tell him to help you do better. You must be the one to WANT to do it. If you WANT to do it, then you will do it. It is all about what you want. He can work wonders on your thoughts and desires which is in his power to do so.

It may take a few days or a few weeks, but just keep saying that little prayer asking him to help you WANT to do his will. It will hit you by surprise when he does answer your prayer. You will know it. No matter how fruitless the prayer seems to be, just keep saying it, even if at times you don’t mean it. Just tell Him “I don’t really mean this Lord, but please help me to WANT to do your will.”

 

[PluniaZ]

Don’t give up. That’s what the enemy wants. Judas gave up. Martin Luther gave up. Keep fighting until the end. Those who persevere will be saved.

Do you go to daily Mass? I have found that nothing is better than daily Mass for overcoming sin.

 

[pianistclare]

Congratulations - you’ve discoverd the Truth!

“You” really will never overcome … only Jesus can. Now that you see Truth, are you ready to humble yourself greatly? Beg Him to overcome for you? Surrender completely to God?

That is not a 1-time event, and no matter how sincerely you do it you are sure to stumble again. But finally, I think, you will be on the right path to healing and truly overcoming.

I’m not trying to be unkind or snarky at all - these are sometimes the moments when the lightbulb goes off and we finally are able to see just how unable we are to “save ourselves.”

Remember, if a certain sin remains, it may be a thorn He allows to keep you humble. But try, dear friend, to allow Jesus to do this work in you. You aren’t alone; you have a Savior waiting to help.

This ^^.

You have to get past this feeling of the world sucks people suck and there’s no use.
No shortcuts to humility, you ave to let go and allow God to work in your life. Once you start, you will be amazed at how much better life can be if only we follow God’s will for us.
He hasn’t given up on you, and He’s GOD. Pretty busy guy. Allow Him to take the lead.

 

[Irishmom2]

All good posts, MainBrain.

The real question is why do you think you are any different than anyone else as far as sin? We are all sinners of one kind or another. As everyone has said, just keep plugging away at confession and going to mass. Try to refrain from sin, but everyone sins.

 

[DanielStDominic]

If you’ve repeatedly and unsuccessfully struggled against a particular sin—especially a sexual one—then, before getting frustrated with the Church, you first need to consider how much of a chance you’ve given to outside help in the form of psychological counseling.

God gives us natural and supernatural tools. But we do have to cooperate with both of those categories. Many parishes will even pay for your counseling if there is a need. But you do have to take those steps.

Now, in terms of struggling to make money and, therefore, not having a “vested interest” in Christ. Honestly, I find this to be a non sequitur. This is like saying that a non-astrophysicist need not worry about gravity. The truth is the truth, and our “vested interest” in the truth is not dependent on whether we’re being paid to have such an interest.

In terms of Christ, we are created for Him and this itself is why it is only rational to be “interested” in Him.

Falling short of doing the right thing does not excuse us from that. The fact that we consistently said yes to temptation does not excuse us from that. Giving up in our struggles does not excuse us from that, it will only condemn us.

You have the tools.

The time has come to stand up like a man and use them. Don’t roll over in front of your opponent.

 

[Deus_tecum]

I think that you have become frustrated with trying to change through sincere self discipline. Self discipline based primarily on sheer willpower often fails. There are many books with instruction on how to imbed changes in your subconscious in order to break free from bad habits. Though written in a mostly secular form, the methods are sound. I recommend Psychocybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, and Awaken The Giant, by Tony Robbins.

 

[MainBrain]

All good posts, MainBrain.

The real question is why do you think you are any different than anyone else as far as sin? We are all sinners of one kind or another. As everyone has said, just keep plugging away at confession and going to mass. Try to refrain from sin, but everyone sins.

Thank you.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

This morning a psalm came into my mind. It was very touching. “As the deer longs for water, so my soul longs for You, O Lord…” It is a paraphrase and it is psalm 42 vs. 1-6.

Then the deer in my mind finds this stream and is drinking from it. Just then, someone shoots this magnificent animal.

Kind of true. I interpreted the shooter of the deer as the Devil.

Think about it.

 

[John_Martin]

I have come to understand it as working “not to miss the mark” rather than “not to sin”.
That is the greek and one of the Hebrew words that we who speak English translate with the word Sin…

Trying not to sin means full focus on sinful things and fleeing constantly while looking at them and wanting them.
Trying not to miss the mark means full focus on a perfect and good thing and trying not to step falsely aside (“trespass”) into missing it.

If I am looking at sinful things to avoid them, do I really know where I should be going, since I am not looking at a target but only looking at things that I must avoid as targets?

No, I look at the Mark, so as not to miss it.

Jesus fills you with his Spirit, infuses your soul with the Light of His Countenance, Grace, so that you can see the target, so that you can recognize you are His Servant and recognize what service is needed to be complete in every circumstance. What did Mary say to Gabriel? “Behold, I am the servant of the LORD; let it be done to me as you described.” Then an amazing thing, she recognized what the targets were, the marks - Joseph must know what happened, so she told him; Elizabeth must be visited and helped, so she went to the hill country and spent 6 months with Elizabeth. She hit the target twice.

Are you the servant of the LORD? Then begin doing something that needs to be complete for him - voila, you hit the target. Do something else that needs to be complete for him… Another bull’s-eye. You are a head servant, able to see what your Master needs complete. When you recognize those things, as Mary did, your body will carry out the labor of it for you. For you - know you are the servant of your Master, Jesus.

 

[puzzledtoo]

John Martin:
“Trying not to sin means…”
“Trying not to miss the mark means…”
I've heard of viewing sin as missing the mark before. I like your insight in the explanation you give. For me using the "miss the mark" analogy has been helpful and I think will be more-so now. Thank you for sharing