Should i even go?

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Hey guys,

I struggle with the sins of impurity(watching unclean videos,masturbation ).

I’m also involved in some prayer/bible study groups. When i fall into sin, i do sometimes feel that i should not bother going. I feel that i am kinda hypocritical by going because i have fallen again into the same sin.

I feel that i should probably clean up my lifestyle and then go for these prayer meetings. I think to myself- ‘here i proclaim that i do follow Christ, but yet i sin’.

Does anyone else think that the reasoning is correct?

Thanks and God bless…
 
JSAD said:
Hey guys,

I struggle with the sins of impurity(watching unclean videos,masturbation ).

I’m also involved in some prayer/bible study groups. When i fall into sin, i do sometimes feel that i should not bother going. I feel that i am kinda hypocritical by going because i have fallen again into the same sin.

I feel that i should probably clean up my lifestyle and then go for these prayer meetings. I think to myself- ‘here i proclaim that i do follow Christ, but yet i sin’.

Does anyone else think that the reasoning is correct?

Thanks and God bless…
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It is the devil that is telling you to stay away from your Christian fellowship. If you remove yourself from the good influence in your life you will never escape the evil influence.
 
We all fall short and sin. So does every person in that prayer group. Persevere… keep going…
 
You should keep going. Persist in your prayer.
It is certain that these notions come from the devil.

We are all sinners and if we persist in prayer that’s the only way to eliminate the other stuff from our lives.

Good luck & God Bless
 
I too struggle with the same type of thinking. The key, I’ve heard, is to be able to share your struggles. Obviously, one avenue for us as Catholics is the priesthood and the sacrement of confession. However, I think it’s also very important to have at least one person to help you as a partner int his struggle-one that you could tell anything to and call any time of day when you are being tempted. However, to answer your question, you should absolutely NOT abandon the group study, especially if you find it increases your devotion to and knowledge of Christ.
 
You should go. Continue to surround yourself with good Catholic fellowship. Continue to try your best, and when you fail, come back to God.

When you struggle with such sins, it is important to attend confession regularly, so that you can free yourself from the guilt, know that you are loved by God no matter what, and also verbalise your struggles to a real person who can encourage you and offer advice (because any priest will have dealt with this sin in the confessional countless times).

Rest assured that the Church is full of sinners. It is not somewhere to feel alienated and unworthy, but somewhere you should feel most a home.
 
JSAD said:
Hey guys,

I struggle with the sins of impurity(watching unclean videos,masturbation ).

I’m also involved in some prayer/bible study groups. When i fall into sin, i do sometimes feel that i should not bother going. I feel that i am kinda hypocritical by going because i have fallen again into the same sin.

I feel that i should probably clean up my lifestyle and then go for these prayer meetings. I think to myself- ‘here i proclaim that i do follow Christ, but yet i sin’.

Does anyone else think that the reasoning is correct?

Thanks and God bless…
Click to expand...
NEVER STOP GOING! It will only get worse trust me I am in your same position just giving up on prayer will not help it will rub salt into the wound. Keep praying as soon as you sin pick up a rosary and start repenting friend!
 
Fall forwards, not backwards!

Falling backwards means we fall and give up or return to our old ways.

Falling forward means even though we feel unworthy we keep on the right path.

Keep on keeping on.👍
 
I don’t remember who said it, but there is a quote that goes something like this:church is not a home for saints, but a hospital for sinners. Don’t deny yourself the strength and accountability that comes with Christian fellowship.
 
We all sin. None of us are strong enough to always resist it, no matter how hard we may try. Please don’t let this stop you from going to these prayer/Bible study groups! It is so easy to allow the devil to get into our heads and convince us that we aren’t good enough. This is what he wants and will always take advantage of our moments of weaknesses. Keep praying, and I will pray for you, too!
 
Recognize that everyone struggles with temptation and there may be those in your prayer group who are struggling with the same temptation/sins of lust that you are.

If you are looking for a resource I strongly recommend “Taking Down Goliath” whichyou can get from Catholic Answers or perhaps even borrow from a friend (each purchase gets unlimited rights to make copies).

God bless and don’t despair!:knight2::
 
JSAD said:
Hey guys,

I struggle with the sins of impurity(watching unclean videos,masturbation ).

I’m also involved in some prayer/bible study groups. When i fall into sin, i do sometimes feel that i should not bother going. I feel that i am kinda hypocritical by going because i have fallen again into the same sin.

I feel that i should probably clean up my lifestyle and then go for these prayer meetings. I think to myself- ‘here i proclaim that i do follow Christ, but yet i sin’.

Does anyone else think that the reasoning is correct?

Thanks and God bless…
Click to expand...
It’s a trap. It’s a temptation which appears “reasonable” on one level, because you seem to appear as a hypocrite. Note well that any temptation to abandon your life with Christ will not come as a full 180 degree turn at the outset, but rather it will come as a series of small steps which lead you astray first in little things, then in larger things. An angel of darkness can disguise itself as an angel of light, as the scripture passage goes.

That being said, it is precisely the people in a prayer group or a bible study who may be able to help you with this. You cannot defeat impurity by yourself. There must be someone to hold you accountable - impurity hijacks part of your person which is far too close to the core of what it means to be human - your sexuality. While you may be able to white-knuckle the temptation away for a stretch of time, eventually you will discover that you can only resist for so long.

You need to rely on koinonia - the communion of believers. Hopefully someone in that prayer group will not judge you harshly if you ask them to help you in your struggle. Yes, the sin is shameful and embarrassing, but it can only be defeated by bringing it into the light. Also, find a good Christian psychologist (a Catholic one would be better, but you may not have that luxury where you’re at) to start to uncover the subconscious reasons you’re compelled to that activity, and then try to find a friend or a support group who could accompany you on your journey to healing. That is the surest way out. You could spend the rest of your life going to Confession, confessing the same thing if you don’t get to the bottom of the issue.

God Bless
 
Thanks all for your prayers. I did go-and while it was encouraging to meet and have fellowship, i do know there are things closer to home that i need to clean up.

This sin and my singleness has been bearing down on me for a while. I can walk in victory for long periods and then i slip and fall.

It’s sucked out a lot of joy, but at the same time there are instances where God’s grace and mercy is very empowering -even in my brokenness.

I’ve hoped and prayed and tried a lot to change things and the cycle of defeat…but very little happens.

But i still trust in God and in his mercy.
 
JSAD said:
Thanks all for your prayers. I did go-and while it was encouraging to meet and have fellowship, i do know there are things closer to home that i need to clean up.

This sin and my singleness has been bearing down on me for a while. I can walk in victory for long periods and then i slip and fall.

It’s sucked out a lot of joy, but at the same time there are instances where God’s grace and mercy is very empowering -even in my brokenness.

I’ve hoped and prayed and tried a lot to change things and the cycle of defeat…but very little happens.

But i still trust in God and in his mercy.
Click to expand...
You have to remember that God ALWAYS makes good things happen for those who have faith in him. Does that mean things will be what we think they should be? No. Look at our Lord’s death on the cross. There can be no worse defeat, in the world’s eyes, than the sentence handed down to, and the death suffered by, our Lord. But, were it not for that event, we would all be with out hope. St. Paul had a thorn in the flesh that he begged our Lord to remove, but the Lord replied that his grace is sufficient. But what does that mean? Does it mean we won’t fall? Again, no. St John says that he who says he is without sin is a liar. However, the key is (which you have done to some extent here) to walk in the light. Sin is darkness. And darkness cannot survive in the light. You must be open and honest about your brokenness. Only then can the Lord heal you. Only then, once you acknowledge your weakness (which again, you have done to some extent here), can the Lord Jesus give you His strength. I’m praying.
 
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