Is it prayer or is it talking oneself out of something?

[kellie]

I have been reading a lot of replies on here about using prayer a lot so as not to sin, especially when you are nearing an opportunity when you would normally sin.

For example, placing a crucifx or rosary beads next to your bed so you dont fall in to the sin of sexual self gratification.

I actually did this last night, I prayed in bed, and I wont go in to much detail, but I was feeling tempted.

While I was saying the Hail Mary, I felt calmer, and the temptation went away. I finished my prayer and I went to sleep.

However , if I was to tell someone about this, couldnt they come back at me with the line “You talked yourself out of it.”?

I guess that is what I did, but is it just pure Faith that did it too, Faith in Mary, that she is around me listening to me, answering my prayers, that helped me “talk myself out of it”

How can I ever explain that to a non believer, that it is Mary answering my prayers, or is it just through more prayers that those people will “see” one day.

Love Kellie

 

[Gregory_Eric]

Kellie,
That is a courageous act to expose intimate details and it shows you are reaching out for God’s help in attaining purity. I think that trying to “convince” someone of Mary’s help or the angels help or even God’s help is something we (human power) cannot do. Every act of ours, if it is to have fruitful (lasting) impact will come from the Holy Spirit. So we can tell others about the power of prayer and then pray for that person even if it is only one or two times. That way you have entrusted the fruitfulness of your intentions to the power of God.
Getting back to your title, “Is it prayer or is it talking oneself out of something?”, we start with a seed in our souls planted by the Holy Spirit at Baptism which we need to cultivate and nourish so that it will grow. We do this through the sacraments (primarily Confession and Holy Communion). Do not expect a change overnight, but rather a gradual growth that needs daily attention.
Satan knows our weaknesses and attacks there. One of my weaknesses is having impure thoughts; however, I turned this over to Mary to procure the virtue of purity to counteract this vice. At this point my wife might tell me I am being too lofty with my thoughts rather than concrete and earthly. The truth is we are dealing with supernatural or spiritual things manifested in material or worldly things. We can’t fight supernatural enemies in earthly ways.
Finally, I want to share a recent dream to help demonstrate a way that our spiritual Mother is helping us win this battle for purity. In my dream I had set the stage, so to speak, to engage in an impure situation. When I looked beyond this “setup” that I had going, I saw the Blessed Virgin floating a few feet off the ground and the Holy Spirit was above her and a little farther off. Even in my dream I knew that she was there pleading for me to stop this offense to her son. I did stop my dream at that moment but the devil continued to torment me that night with more passions and evil desires. I had another image that was very near my sight - Jesus, crucified. Finally, I made up my mind this night that my first dream of the Blessed Virgin was not me trying to talk myself out of something, but truly heavenly help coming to my aid as I had previously prayed for.
Do not stop asking for help. Pray and especially to our Lady. God bless you.

 

[SeminarianDan]

I would think it is both. Faith, Prayer and Holy Objects are certainaly peices of the Armor of God. But your intellect is a gift that God has given you as well, and a properly formed intellect and consciounce kept in check with prayer can certainly alleviate feelings of sexual temptation. We need to make sure we use all that is at our disposal to drive away temptation. Prayer, Reason, S’all good.

 

[hawkeye]

kellie:

I have been reading a lot of replies on here about using prayer a lot so as not to sin, especially when you are nearing an opportunity when you would normally sin.

For example, placing a crucifx or rosary beads next to your bed so you dont fall in to the sin of sexual self gratification.

I actually did this last night, I prayed in bed, and I wont go in to much detail, but I was feeling tempted.

While I was saying the Hail Mary, I felt calmer, and the temptation went away. I finished my prayer and I went to sleep.

However , if I was to tell someone about this, couldnt they come back at me with the line “You talked yourself out of it.”?

I guess that is what I did, but is it just pure Faith that did it too, Faith in Mary, that she is around me listening to me, answering my prayers, that helped me “talk myself out of it”

How can I ever explain that to a non believer, that it is Mary answering my prayers, or is it just through more prayers that those people will “see” one day.

Love Kellie

This may not be relevant but I read of a woman an actress in Hollywood being cured of a brain tumor.
She hadn’t the humility to thank God for the healing and said in the media that it was nothing, bad enough not thanking God but to announce it to the whole world (humility)
Anyway the cancer returned, and she passed away, God be good to her soul !!!

 

[Sir_Knight]

Uhh, if this actress didn’t reveal this to anyone, how do you know about it? I know, you read about it. But how did the person who wrote it, know about it?

 

[hawkeye]

Sir Knight:

Uhh, if this actress didn’t reveal this to anyone, how do you know about it? I know, you read about it. But how did the person who wrote it, know about it?

People knew she had a brain tumor, but she more or less said it went away by itself when asked.

 

[Maggie]

Kellie - coming from a crazy family your question is pretty poignant for me. Is God answering my prayers or am I talking to myself . The only answer of course is faith. And the Holy Spirit. Self control is a good thing, but my experience with it (in myself and others) is that they are generally not at peace with themselves when they are exercising it in the absence of faith. So they don’t do something one day, or even for a year or two, but while they feel like they have accomplished something, they also feel like they have missed out on something. On the other hand, when I prayerfully get through a temptation I have found myself genuinely at peace with the decision. So the intercession leaves a person feeling clean afterwards, whereas the mere act of self-control leaves a person feeling deprived. Maybe?