The Struggle of Temptation

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OnAJourney

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I think the title of this post pretty much spells out what I’m going to discuss. To put it simply, I really am trying to hard to abide by what the Church teaches on sexual ethics and morals. I’m trying very hard and yet I find myself still having a very very tough struggle at times.

Every time I fall into the sin of self stimulation I feel like I move a step back in my faith. I’m a catechumen (with SSA) and it truly is my intention to become baptized and confirmed. But dealing with this…I feel like a failure. After I fall into that sin I struggle with prayer. Lately I feel like a failure and if I keep on this path the good things that God has recently brought into my life will be taken away.

I apologize for the gloomy post. Right now I just feel down. I just need some sense of direction
 
I don’t really know what to suggest,apart from perhaps get some councelling and that I will include you in my prayers OAJ.All the best ,and God bless.
 
Keep on your path.

The Sacraments provide grace, and grace helps us to resist temptation.
 
Read any meditation on the agony in the garden, Christ felt your suffering. He took mans sufferings upon him and suffered deep in his soul just as you are when your sins come upon you. Do as he did. It will never ever fail you. You feel like you are suffering just like he says my soul is sorrowful until death. It’s a horrid feeling when you have sin on you and you cant get it off, the soul suffers. So what does Jesus do, he prays… he prays and he prays more and God strengthens him by sending his angel which he will do for you too. Then Jesus prays more. Jesus’ first prayer is in total humility (he falls on his face) before God, so try this… go to God with all your brokenness and tell him how little and weak you are and how much you need his help and how you depend on him. Abandon your self to him to fix you. Did you know celibacy is a gift from God? And that we cannot keep ourselves out if mortal sin, it is only ever by Gods grace that we do it. Ask God for the grace of celibacy. Ask for his forgiveness, accept it and begin again. Soon you will be able to go to confession and that’s a wonderful sacrament. Do give up on praying, that’s the devil tempting you. Even if you can say nothing other than Jesus name or Jesus help me, then do so. His name is truly powerful, dont fight temptation when you can flee to Jesus. Just call for Him. God bless you.
 
My husband struggles with this and once he became catholic (very recently) he finds the eucharist and confession are helping him with all the extra Ggraces he’s receiving now. And when he falls it is not hopeless because now he can go to confession. According to our priest this is a very very common sin and one that’s hard to break the habit of doing. My husband is in a 12 step program with other local men and we are looking into a few online programs too especially one particular program that is geared towards catholics…
 
‘A good and devout man arranges in his mind the things he has to do, not according to the whims
of evil inclination but according to the dictates of right reason. Who is forced to struggle more
than he who tries to master himself? This ought to be our purpose, then: to conquer self, to become
stronger each day, to advance in virtue.’ - The Imitation of Christ
 
Masturbation is a common sin that many people struggle with. Don’t be discouraged. It will take time to overcome it. Turn to God as soon as possible when you fall. Humble yourself and run into his arms like a little child and tell him how bad you feel. Even good can come from your sin and lead you closer to God of you allow it to help you grow in humility. The devil wants you to think that you can’t turn to God after you sinned, but actually your sin can lead you closer to God. Maybe look into Francis de Sales. A good book based on his spirituality is “How to profit from your faults”. It can be helpful to see your struggles from a different perspective and also to dwell more on God’s mercy

It must be hard to live with SSA and the fact that you want to live chastity according to Church teaching shows great dedication and love for God.
 
God has given us confession, absolution, and prayer.
Don’t get down.
Be joyful, because we all struggle with temptation.
But we have God on our side. We need only to listen!
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
 
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