L
Lux_et_veritas
Guest
I posted this in another thread but the thread was so long, I figured it would get lost. I thought it could help others who are battling sinful habits or addictions.
There are many addictions. Some are addictions of impurity and these are the most obvious. Less obvious may be one’s addiction to gossip and bearing false witness. We can probably identify addictions in each of the 7 categories of sin if we really tried.
With this in mind, I think many can relate to having an addiction at one time or another. I too have battled one and I believe I have finally found the answer. And, it came about in a conversation with God one day (no, I didn’t hear him with my ears, but he came to me in my heart and told me I was grounded until I figured out what he wanted).
**1) God told me that I had to stop playing musical confessors and find one priest that I would need to keep returning to so that the pattern would be visible. **
2) God told me that there is no anonymity before Him so there would be no anonymity before he who represents Him, since I was battling an addiction. He said that I needed to exercise the virtue of humility and look Father right into they eyes when I tell him what ails me.
3) God told me I could not leave my room and go to this confessor until I was capable of looking the Father in the eyes and telling him what I had done, why I did it, and what attitudes were in play before, during and after. God made it very clear that I needed to strip away all the excuses and tell Father exactly as it was - I did it because I wanted to do it.
**4) God told me that unless I was mentally ill, I needed to take responsibility for my sinfulness and ask Father to please not mitigate away my accountability. **
**5) God told me to tell Father that I needed a Father and not a friend - one who would ask me the questions I did not want asked and tell me what I did not want to hear. **
**6) God told me to tell Father that in the future, if I found myself on the lowest rung of the ladder of temptation, I would need to capture that moment in memory and tell him I had the opportunity to say “no” to the second rung, or third rung, but chose to say “yes”, climbing higher. He told me to capture the second and third opporutnity He had given me to say “no” and to tell Father. **
**7) God told me that if I did say “yes” to any rung, to tell Father what I was doing at the moment I agreed to climb to the next rung (i.e., not removing yourself from the situation - if your right arm makes you sin, cut it off - read that, don’t watch that program any more). **
**8) God told me that no matter how many times I fell, to stick with the plan and to never lose hope because hopelessness and despair are the seeds of the devil and he hopes it will sprout into the rejection of His love and mercy. **
Consider making a similar plan. I cannot tell you how effective it was in getting me to stop. When I was on the first rung and recognized the beginnings of temptation, all I could think of was that I was going to have to tell Father about it and would not be able to hide from accountability.
Not only do we begin with that sin of addiction, but other behaviors emerge, many of them sacriligeous. Case in point is that I believe pride led me to make a mockery of the Sacrament of Penance in trying not to be recognized rather than standing up to myself. Then it led me to present myself for Holy Communion when I had no business doing so. Addictions do this.
I got an entire Rosary for Penance. It was the most extensive I had ever gotten, but the best in the world. I believe the Blessed Mother has been right there helping me to see when I land on the ladder of temptation and she reminds me of my promises.
God Bless and hope this helps.
There are many addictions. Some are addictions of impurity and these are the most obvious. Less obvious may be one’s addiction to gossip and bearing false witness. We can probably identify addictions in each of the 7 categories of sin if we really tried.
With this in mind, I think many can relate to having an addiction at one time or another. I too have battled one and I believe I have finally found the answer. And, it came about in a conversation with God one day (no, I didn’t hear him with my ears, but he came to me in my heart and told me I was grounded until I figured out what he wanted).
**1) God told me that I had to stop playing musical confessors and find one priest that I would need to keep returning to so that the pattern would be visible. **
2) God told me that there is no anonymity before Him so there would be no anonymity before he who represents Him, since I was battling an addiction. He said that I needed to exercise the virtue of humility and look Father right into they eyes when I tell him what ails me.
3) God told me I could not leave my room and go to this confessor until I was capable of looking the Father in the eyes and telling him what I had done, why I did it, and what attitudes were in play before, during and after. God made it very clear that I needed to strip away all the excuses and tell Father exactly as it was - I did it because I wanted to do it.
**4) God told me that unless I was mentally ill, I needed to take responsibility for my sinfulness and ask Father to please not mitigate away my accountability. **
**5) God told me to tell Father that I needed a Father and not a friend - one who would ask me the questions I did not want asked and tell me what I did not want to hear. **
**6) God told me to tell Father that in the future, if I found myself on the lowest rung of the ladder of temptation, I would need to capture that moment in memory and tell him I had the opportunity to say “no” to the second rung, or third rung, but chose to say “yes”, climbing higher. He told me to capture the second and third opporutnity He had given me to say “no” and to tell Father. **
**7) God told me that if I did say “yes” to any rung, to tell Father what I was doing at the moment I agreed to climb to the next rung (i.e., not removing yourself from the situation - if your right arm makes you sin, cut it off - read that, don’t watch that program any more). **
**8) God told me that no matter how many times I fell, to stick with the plan and to never lose hope because hopelessness and despair are the seeds of the devil and he hopes it will sprout into the rejection of His love and mercy. **
Consider making a similar plan. I cannot tell you how effective it was in getting me to stop. When I was on the first rung and recognized the beginnings of temptation, all I could think of was that I was going to have to tell Father about it and would not be able to hide from accountability.
Not only do we begin with that sin of addiction, but other behaviors emerge, many of them sacriligeous. Case in point is that I believe pride led me to make a mockery of the Sacrament of Penance in trying not to be recognized rather than standing up to myself. Then it led me to present myself for Holy Communion when I had no business doing so. Addictions do this.
I got an entire Rosary for Penance. It was the most extensive I had ever gotten, but the best in the world. I believe the Blessed Mother has been right there helping me to see when I land on the ladder of temptation and she reminds me of my promises.
God Bless and hope this helps.