My deep struggles

  • Thread starter Thread starter AlexPetrosPio
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

AlexPetrosPio

Guest
I have always struggled with personal chastity, plus I am a chronic insomniac. Unfortunately, lately, my insomnia has been hitting hard (starting before my situation with my mother), which leaves me bored in the middle of the night, and I stupidly turn to pornographic websites. The longer my insomnia spell has gone on, the worse the other issues have gotten. My beautiful girlfriend does not deserve me to be addicted to this junk. Please pray for me as I work through this struggle.

Help us, save us, have mercy upon us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
Lord have mercy.
 
Prayers for relief from sins of chastity regarding pornography. Maybe you could talk to a
Dr regarding your sleep problems. Solving that issue might help give you less time to be tempted towards porn.
Prayers for success over the struggle.
Christ have Mercy
Lord have Mercy.
Mary.
 
“…people who are profoundly intimate with their indwelling Lord are never bored.”

Deep Conversion Deep Prayer
Thomas Dubay, S.M.
 
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Amen!
 
Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas for Purity:

Dear Jesus, I know that every perfect gift, and especially that of chastity, depends on the power of Your providence. Without You, a mere creature can do nothing. Therefore, I beg You to defend by Your grace the chastity and purity of my body and soul. And if I have ever sensed or imagined or seen anything that could stain my chastity and purity, blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers, that I may advance with a pure heart in Your love and service, offering myself on the most pure altar of Your Divinity all the days of my life. Amen.

A Prayer to guard Purity, by Fr. Emmerich Vogt OP:

Immaculate Virgin Mary, I confide my chastity to your maternal heart. I ask your help to guard my senses, especially the eyes, for an unchaste eye is the messenger of an unchaste heart. Knowing my pride, I pray for humility that invites the mercy of God. Knowing that I am wounded, I shall not be surprised at the urge of concupiscence, but trusting in your care, I rely on your protection and all the graces I need from your Divine Son to lead a chaste life. Amen.

Alex, I see you are Orthodox, but I share your struggle, and these are prayers I say every day, and I offer them for you as well. God bless you!
 
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy.

Amen

:crossrc:
 
A clear rule for self-control handed down by the Fathers is this: stop eating while still hungry and do not continue until you are satisfied. When the Apostle said, ‘Make no provision to fulfill the desires of the flesh’ (Rom. 13:14), he was not forbidding us to provide for the needs of life; he was warning us against self-indulgence. Moreover, by itself abstinence from food does not contribute to perfect purity of soul unless the other virtues are active as well. Humility, for example, practiced through obedience in our work and through bodily hardship, is a great help. If we avoid avarice not only by having no money, but also by not wanting to have any, this leads us towards purity of soul. Freedom from anger, from dejection, self-esteem and pride also contributes to purity of soul in general, while self-control and fasting are especially important for bringing about that specific purity of soul which comes through restraint and moderation. No one whose stomach is full can fight mentally against the demon of unchastity. Our initial struggle therefore must be to gain control of our stomach and to bring our body into subjection not only through fasting but also through vigils, labors and spiritual, reading, and through concentrating our heart on fear of Gehenna and on longing for the kingdom of heaven.

I think this is from the Philokalia?

Praying for you.

Peace
 
Hear, Lord, the prayers we offer from contrite hearts. Have pity on us as we acknowledge our sins. Lead us back to the way of holiness. Protect us now and always from the wounds of sin. May we ever keep safe in all its fullness the gift Your love once gave us and Your mercy now restores.
Amen.
 
Lord, please grant healing to this soul, that he might every resist the fleeting temptations of the devil, the flesh, and the world. Cultivate in his heart consistency in resisting sins against chastity. Send many warrior angels to flee to his side at the onset of every temptation, that it may never germinate to maturity, and that sin never occur. Lead this soul through this struggle in union with your holy Passion, and invite him ever to dine at your eternal table. Have mercy, Lord, and grant the virtue of joy to this and all souls. Our Lady, angels, and saints, pray with us. Amen.

Might I recommend reading this insightful quote from C.S. Lewis on the matter:*For me the real evil of masturbation would be that it takes an appetite which, in lawful use, leads the individual out of himself to complete (and correct) his own personality in that of another (and finally in children and even grandchildren) and turns it back; sends the man back into the prison of himself, there to keep a harem of imaginary brides.

And this harem, once admitted, works against his ever getting out and really uniting with a real woman.

For the harem is always accessible, always subservient, calls for no sacrifices or adjustments, and can be endowed with erotic and psychological attractions which no woman can rival.

Among those shadowy brides he is always adored, always the perfect lover; no demand is made on his unselfishness, no mortification ever imposed on his vanity.

In the end, they become merely the medium through which he increasingly adores himself…After all, almost the main work of life is to come out of our selves, out of the little dark prison we are all born in. Masturbation is to be avoided as all things are to be avoided which retard this process. The danger is that of coming to love the prison.”
  • Personal Letter From Lewis to Keith Masson (found in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3)*Courtesy of Matt Fradd’s blog.
Hang in there and forget not to avail yourself of the power of the sacrament of reconciliation if you should ever fail again. :o
 
You want to know something sort of funny? I remember years ago, I was once watching, “The 10 commandments” on TV. This was before videos, VCRs, DVDs, etc. It was REALLY long, and it through off my sleep cycle. I was fairly small and went to my mother crying, because I was so tired and couldn’t sleep.

She said to pray the rosary. I went back to bed and began praying the rosary and IMMEDIATELY fell asleep!

🙂
 
Also, what’s this about the insomnia? Are you drinking any caffeine during the day? If you are, trying cutting that out. Or, if you must, drink them only in the morning.

Then, try not to do anything strenuous before bedtime…no exercising, etc.

Try to have it quiet before you go to bed AND when you sleep.

It’s important to work on the sleep issues, because insomnia can cause depression over the long haul (and depression can also cause insomnia!). Good to get that worked out!
 
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

†

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

†
 
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

:crossrc:
 
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

:crossrc:
 
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

:crossrc:
 
Almighty, ever-living God,
You give strength to the weary
and new courage to those who have lost heart.
Hear the prayers of all who call on You in any trouble
that they may have the joy of receiving Your help in their need.
Amen.
 
O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.
Amen.
 
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blest is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

:crossrc:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top