Sinful Thoughts

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nickkname
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
N

Nickkname

Guest
This is something I have a really hard time understanding: sinful thoughts.

I can understand fantasies and the intention to sin as being sinful, but sinful thoughts I just cannot. I mean, wouldn’t that mean it’s impossible to be in the state of grace?
 
Nickkname said:
This is something I have a really hard time understanding: sinful thoughts.

I can understand fantasies and the intention to sin as being sinful, but sinful thoughts I just cannot. I mean, wouldn’t that mean it’s impossible to be in the state of grace?
Click to expand...
If sinful thoughts pop into your head but you do not dwell on them then that is not a sin.
 
I feel your pain bro. That being said, we are mortals and we do sin. If we do not dwell on the thought than it is not a sin, but if we do, we have confession. Sinful thoughts are tests from God. He does not want us to stumble, but by stumbling we can actually find God in a better way than we could before. Also, my consolation when I go to confession is that JPII went every day. You are not alone.
 
if you go to daily Mass, spend some time in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, and pray the Rosary, then your thoughts will automatically be higher and more spiritual. Doing these three daily is like telling God: i dont wan’t sinful thoughts. As the Bible says, “to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

This is called spiritual cheating. If you dont go to daily Mass, adoration, and the Rosary, then you will be fighting an uphill battle against impure thoughts. Again, like has been said, just take bad thoughts captive after you realize the evil of a certain thought. Better yet, take it captive, then say a Hail Mary. God Bless. :dancing:
 
SawGodThere said:
I feel your pain bro. That being said, we are mortals and we do sin. If we do not dwell on the thought than it is not a sin, but if we do, we have confession. Sinful thoughts are tests from God. He does not want us to stumble, but by stumbling we can actually find God in a better way than we could before. Also, my consolation when I go to confession is that JPII went every day. You are not alone.
Click to expand...
I dont think sinful thoughts are tests from God. Sinful thoughts are temptations when they pop into your head, trying to get you to entertain them. God does not tempt he tests, two different things. I think a test would be putting you through a hard time to test your resolve in your faith perhaps.
 
three-sixteen said:
This is called spiritual cheating. If you dont go to daily Mass, adoration, and the Rosary, then you will be fighting an uphill battle against impure thoughts.
Click to expand...
This is so true. I have been struggling lately. In addition to your advice I recommend good posture - physical attentiveness when praying. Even if you can’t get to church everyday, spend the time you have praying at a premium hour of the day and don’t slouch! Don’t wait till you are too doggone tired. Give God your best time of the day!
 
AaronsStaff said:
I dont think sinful thoughts are tests from God. Sinful thoughts are temptations when they pop into your head, trying to get you to entertain them. God does not tempt he tests, two different things. I think a test would be putting you through a hard time to test your resolve in your faith perhaps.
Click to expand...
You are right, but define a hard time. Sometimes (at least in my life) God seems to ‘leave’ your life. Even when you are praying hard, he tests your faith by allowing the devil to mess with you. If you keep faith in God through that, then he will re-enter and it seems to releave some of the temptation.
 
train yourself to pray at the instant you have sinful thoughts. say a prayer. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc. ask God to rid you of the sinful thought. practice, practice. eventually it will be automatic. eventually you may not even need to say a set prayer, as God will enter your mind automatically?

for a guy, nothing turns me off more than thinking of my mother, which is why a turn to my Blessed Mother to help me with lust. it almost always works!
 
Thank you, everyone, for the good advice! Please pray for me too ^^

Scottgun: You win 100,000 internets! AWESOME links! 🙂

Jonnydigit: I don’t like to think of Mary when tempted with lust because than the devil redoubles his efforts by using Mary as the subject of lust and than he accuses me of lusting after her. 😦
 
Nickkname said:
Jonnydigit: I don’t like to think of Mary when tempted with lust because than the devil redoubles his efforts by using Mary as the subject of lust and than he accuses me of lusting after her. 😦
Click to expand...
i worried about that too, but for some reason it doesn’t happen. i have been advised by priests to ask Our Lady for her help and to do fervent Rosaries to fight lust, and fortunately i had already done so, so i didn’t need to ask why or how. how is your devotion to her? maybe if it were stronger and you placed her more in the position of your Holy Mother it would help…
 
johnnydigit said:
i worried about that too, but for some reason it doesn’t happen. i have been advised by priests to ask Our Lady for her help and to do fervent Rosaries to fight lust, and fortunately i had already done so, so i didn’t need to ask why or how. how is your devotion to her? maybe if it were stronger and you placed her more in the position of your Holy Mother it would help…
Click to expand...
Yes, I need to do that more. Thank you for good advice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top