Is God Going to Punish me?

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I have always believed God does not punish. A sinner’s punishment is the very result of the sin: to be farther away from God.

A god that punishes sounds more like the humanly gods of Greek mythology.
 
He might make your hand fall off if you don’t stop doing that ! :eek:
 
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SpiritIsWilling:
Hey all:

I still sometimes struggle with sexual sins (I was pretty messed up before).

Sometimes I fall, but it has gotten less and less frequent, and I can’t totally fight off temptations most of the time.

My question is, when I sometimes fail, is God going to punish me? I’m always heartfully sorry, and I make a 110% effort to not repeat the sin. I’m 16 so it’s hard for me in the world that I live in, I try my best to remove myself from all of the ‘bad stuff’ but it’s rather hard at times.

Do you think God will understand that I’m only human and he’ll be a little more lenient with me since I’m making a very sincere effort to become a better person?
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I’m with you, man. It is really hard to avoid all sorts of impure things in the world that we live in, but the more we’re tempted, the greater rewards we will reap if we can resist them. If you’re struggling with porn (as I have), you really have to start looking at women like they’re people, not just for their female bodies/body parts. You really needed to think of all women as if they were your mom or sister, and you will really have a lot more respect for them. Try reading Dr. Alice von Hildebrand’s “Privilege of Being a Woman.” If you do, hopefully you will look at women with greater reverence, as I have. Also, don’t just say that you’re “only human.” In reality, sin is completely opposed to our humanness (is that a word? lol) because only in becoming holy and sanctified are we truly and more fully human because we were made in the image and likeness of God. Another good book I would suggest is “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge. It’s about Christian manhood. Although he’s a Protestant, the book doesn’t seem to be in contradiction with any Catholic teachings, except for a passing statement regarding contraception. As a fellow man (you’re not a boy anymore), I’m know you have a sense of competition and even a degree of aggressiveness. All men do; it’s in our very nature. It’s why we’re so interested in war & the military, sports, games, etc. For these reasons, start reading up on spiritual warfare. Pray to your guardian angel. Lately, when I am tempted, I imagine my guardian angel in a battle to prevent one of Satan’s minions from getting to me (kind of along the lines of the traditional St. Michael depictions or the cover on P.O.D.'s “Snuff the Punk” album…except it’s actually really happening whether we can see it or not!) I don’t want to let my guardian angel down, so that image has helped for me. Here are some websites that have helped me, maybe they will help you too:

trueknights.org/

pornnomore.com/

If you have the money, this looks like it would be good too:
saintjoe.com/p/prod_desc.pl?id=957

And, finally, here are some quotes/verses that I like to remember:

“Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.” -St. Augustine (we’re not alone, say a prayer to him, he knows where you’re coming from)

“More souls go to hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.” -Our Lady of Fatima (not the most pleasant idea, but it’s good reason to repent)

“Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers…shall possess the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10)

“It would be better not to have known the way of justice than, after knowning it, to turn back." (2 Pet. 2:21)

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is the sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:15-20) This is not an excuse to sin, it’s only saying that we must battle the concupesince that is left over in us from Original Sin.

Con’t. below…
 
You should also go to Confession often. Don’t stay away from it out of embarrassment. You *need * to go. You will not be able to defeat this unless you do. (Also, you shouldn’t be receiving the Eucharist unless you do.) Just tell the priest that you’ve been “impure” with yourself, girlfriend, or whatever; he’ll know what you mean. Don’t avoid this sacrament. I did for the longest time. I thought that I could defeat it on my own and *then * go to Confession to kind of finish it off. I’ve talked to other guys that have had this idea as well. It doesn’t work that way. Pelagian was a heretic. We can’t do anything w/o the grace of God which is normally obtained through the sacraments. So, we must receive the Eucharist, BUT we must first go to Confession or Communion will otherwise be a curse. That being said, God gives us grace in other ways in the heat of the moment. I know that sometimes when I’m in the middle of being impure, the phone will ring or all of my Internet Explorer windows will quickly be exited without my doing. Obviously this was God reaching out to me to get me to stop. You have to co-operate with His grace even if it comes in the strangest ways. I remember that there was a time when my heart and mind were pure and I thought that any such things were gross and disgusting. I remind myself of the way I used to feel about it to help to avoid it. I also think of how guilty it makes me feel after I’ve done it because I HATE that feeling! I will pray for you, and I hope you will for me too.

God bless and stay strong!

-Jon

PS - here are some more verses from the Word of God:

“For the grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men: Instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly and justly and godly in this world.” (Titus 2:11-12)

“Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for, when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life which God hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12)

“So turn from youthful desires and pursue righteousness, faith,love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with purity of heart.” (2 Tim. 2:22)

“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38)

Finally, remember this: “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle; I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.” ~ Mother Teresa of Calcutta
 
Once again all, I thank you immensely for the support. It is really helping a lot.

Thank you all so much.
 
I’m going to give you something to think over and pray about, ok?

What is punishment?

In the book of Job, we read:

“Happy is the man whom God reproves! The Almighty’s chastening do not reject.
For he wounds, but he binds up;
he smites, but his hands give healing.” Job 5:17-18

God’s punishment is something we should rejoice in, for as he allows us to go down our path of evil, He puts our lives in ways that motivate us to beg for him. What we must do is push ourselves to not simply depend on Him when we have no other alternative, but to depend on Him at all times.
I’m always heartfully sorry, and I make a 110% effort to not repeat the sin. I’m 16 so it’s hard for me in the world that I live in, I try my best to remove myself from all of the ‘bad stuff’ but it’s rather hard at times.
Click to expand...
Do you think God will understand that I’m only human and he’ll be a little more lenient with me since I’m making a very sincere effort to become a better person?
Click to expand...
You need to focus more on Him and less on yourself. Remember that we do not have the power to overcome the sin within us. Christ died for our sins, but we must actively seek and apply that grace to our lives so that through it we may be freed of our slavery to sin. The process of overcoming the vices of our heart is long and gradual, but reliance on God does work.

I tell you this to give you hope and to not despair. Do not be hard on yourself, but see your weakness as an oppertunity to glorify God and a chance for you to receive His great mercy which He so longs to give you.

I was just writing out a Lenten reflection for a booklet the Youth Group I volunteer with and I think what I wrote and reflected on may be of some assistance to you.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man … He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain
green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it oes not cease to bear fruit.
… I the LORD search the mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” Jerimiah 17:5-10

Here God calls us to humility. Humility is not despairing over our weaknesses, it is not fretting that we were not made smarter, taller, shorter or stronger. It is recognizing our utter need and dependence on God. God is the source of our utter being and if we wish to flourish and be fruitful, we must rely on his graces. He is the
water, the spring of eternal life which gives us the grace to overcome our sinful nature, our vices. Through Him we become the fully intended and realized versions of ourselves.

But, if we rely solely on ourselves, if we deny ourselves that wellspring He is offering us, we will not survive and we will not bear good fruit. We will find ourselves growing more and more empty of our resources. In pouring out our hearts together, without first constantly seeking to be filled over and over again with God’s love, we will find our hearts empty, dry and hard, ready to crack if asked to stretch ourselves out in love one more time. But with God, the source of love, we will find our hearts more capable of living out love which is the fulfillment of the commandments.

This isn’t just a warning for us to repent of our ways. It is a message of hope.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you for the graces You have given me throughout my life and especially today. I apologize for all the times I have cried out for help and yet was too prideful to open my heart to receive it. How often have I relied only on my own strength and merit to get me through difficult times? How often have I criticized myself for not being strong enough to get through an a difficult event on my own? How often have I waited till I was left empty and dry to finally open myself to depend on You only because I saw no other option?

It has been not only my pride but my lack of faith and my feeling that somehow I have to make myself on my own good enough to approach you. Help me to humbly accept the gift of being able to recognize my sins without despairing. Help me to grow in holiness so that I seek your assistance in all I do, in every little thing, not because you have not already given me the gifts to do them, but because my actions will become ever more fruitful the more I rely on You as my strength. Let this Lent show me the right path to true humility. Amen.
 
“Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.” -Galatians 5:24
 
I said this to someone on another thread:

Remember that Jesus is with you. I mean WITH YOU. If you could see Him there, would you do this sin?

When you feel tempted, put your BIBLE in your lap and read it.

May I suggest you bookmark this passage so it’s ready to go when you are, so to speak:

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN, and God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation WILL PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE also, that you may be able to endure it.”

May I suggest you write out a list, and keep it handy, of all the WAYS OF ESCAPE that you could use. Don’t wait until the moment as then you won’t be interested in escaping. Have your list ready. Here are a some suggestions:
  1. Get out of your room (or wherever you are) and into a place where there are other people.
  2. Take your rosary out and HOLD IT IN YOUR HANDS and pray, pray, pray.
  3. Get your Bible out and put it in your lap and read 1 Cor. 10:13
  4. Picture Jesus sitting next to you (BECAUSE HE IS).
  5. Get into some type of SERIOUS exercise program of jogging, weight lifting etc. (This is something to be doing daily) I have been told by my husband that this can really help. Check out another verse, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises SELF-CONTROL in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, BUT WE AN IMPERISHABLE. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim, I box in such a way, as not beating the air, but I BUFFET MY BODY AND MAKE IT MY SLAVE, lest possibly after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” That’s the Apostle Paul’s advice to you.
  6. KEEP YOUR ZIPPER UP. We told this to our two boys many times. :tsktsk:
 
“In failing to confess, Lord,
I would only hide You from myself,
not myself from You.”

-Saint Augustine
 
“For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.”
(Psalm 91:11)
 
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