Why can't I stop sinning?

[trumpet152]

Why can’t I stop sinning? I sincerely wish to do so, but I don’t. How can I get over this? Why don’t I hate my sin more than I do? I’m not yet Catholic, so I can’t take part in the sacrements. Will it get easier after my conversion?

 

[Della]

We are all prone to sin because our nature was corrupted, our intellect darkened, and our will weakened by the fall. So, we have to deal with these truths all our lives. That doesn’t mean we must sin or give up hope. The redemption of Christ brought us the grace to resist temptation and live lives of holiness. When you pray about this issue, remember that your baptism cleansed you of the stain of original sin and infused God’s grace into your soul. Draw on that grace by admitting your sins and resolving never to commit them again. And when you fail, get up, brush yourself off and go at it again. In time you will not be committing the same old sins. You can conquer them, but it usually takes time and the willingness to hang in there.

As to the sacrament–talk to the priest there at the parish about that. He can help ease your mind if nothing else. He’s there to help you, you know, not to judge you.

 

[Chris_W]

Perhaps I am not justified in giving you advice, as I have not conquered the habitual temptations with which I have been afflicted. But I have made progress so I will share what I have learned thus far:

1. Something has to change. They say the definitiion of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. For me, I’ve had to look hard at the circumstance in which I fall into sin. Since I have learned I fall easier than I wish, I know the best action is to avoid the near occassion of sin. That is to say, I have had to identify in what circumstances I am most likely to sin, and consciously decide not to allow myself to get into those circumstances. In essense, identify the last step before the sin and remove that step. if it is location, people you were around, what you saw, alchohol involved, or whatever, you must avoid that circumstance.
2. I pray when I am not being tempted…I ask that when I am tempted, God will give me the grace to ask for His intervention. I know I do not have the power to overcome temptation, but even more, I lack the grace to ask for His help when I am tempted.
3. Surround yourself with spirituality. Listen to Christian radio. Frequent this web-site. Read spiritual books. Pray on the way to work, etc. The more active you are in your spiritual life, the harder it is to give consent to temptation.

May God bless you in your fight. We are all afflicted in one way or another. I take consolation in reading the words of St Paul, when he describes how there was a thorn in his side, and he did what he did not want to do, and did not do what he wanted to do…but he fought the good fight.

Just remember, you do have the control over your life…or at least you can have, with God’s grace.

Peace,
Chris W

 

[iserve]

This is also a time when we need the body of Christ- in both the Eucharist and Gods’ people. Since you are unable to take Communion, you must rely on the other communion- of others who are struggling. None of us was ever meant to live our lives in a closed circuit conversation with God, but rather, as a family who all look to the head for advice and to worship together as ONE. Get into a community of good people who study Scripture and live the Christian life, and you might still take a tumble now and then, but when you fall, the arms of your comrades will soften the blow and remain there to hold you up.

You are remembered in prayer.

 

[Didi]

You may try wearing a crucifix and having it blessed by a priest. Everytime you are tempted, look at the crucifix, remember what Jesus did for us, and ask for His help to overcome the temptation.

Since you say you are not yet Catholic, I am hoping you are in an RCIA program? Ask for them to pray for you.

Do you know the St. Michael prayer:

St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle. Protect us from the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the earth seeking the destruction of souls.

Temptation is a part of everyone’s earthly existence. Because you are on your way (we hope) to the Catholic faith, the spiritual enemy is trying hard to pull you away. It is this way throughout our walk with God; as we get closer to Him, the enemy tries to pull us away.

As you become Catholic and have the ability to partake in reconciliation and communion, the graces from the sacraments will surely help you, but the struggle doesn’t go away.

You may also want to **spend some time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament ** – look for a parish that has perpetual adoration. While you can’t yet receive Him in physical communion, you can commune with Him spiritually by being in His Holy Presence!

 

[YinYangMom]

Will it get easier after your conversion?

Not at first. Don’t expect an overnight change.
But you will at least know two things:

1. You start with a clean soul. Everything you carried with you before your baptism will be gone…vanished…non-existent…and for you, the temporal effects of those sins as well. THAT is a real biggie…something worth protecting with your life. Keep it in mind at all times: A clear sheet of glass, no dust, no fingerprints, no scratches, no cracks, no chips. If you were to die upon exiting the church that day, you’d go straight to heaven, no purgatory for you. THAT’S how clear your soul will be after being washed in Christ.
2. You will have the Grace of God with you, and that is a very powerful gift. Through the sacraments you can replenish the grace needed to face each day, each moment. Through reconciliation you can clean your soul over and over (but not the temporal effects - though, through indulgences, the opportunity to wash the temporal effects away again are there through the Church - particularly on Divine Mercy Sunday).

The way to stop sinning is to remember this:

IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU.
NOTHING is about YOU.

Think about every occasion of sin you’ve been in…
you made a decision…
and that decision met YOUR needs instead of HIS.

It doesn’t matter what YOU want out of life.
What matters is what GOD wants from you.
You can trust completely that HE wants the best for you and knows what you need.
When you live according to HIS design you will find peace and happiness and choices to please HIM come a little easier.

You will always be tempted however, probably even moreso after you convert as Satan loses a foothold he had on you until then and he will want you back. So once you convert, participate in the sacraments every chance you get. Pray the devotions the Church offers, particulary the rosary, novenas and Eucharistic Adoration. Remain strong in your love for Christ and it will become easier in time.

 

[Mystophilus]

trumpet152:

Why can’t I stop sinning?

You’re human. Sorry.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10)

I sincerely wish to do so

Then you have what is required.

God made you as imperfect as you are.
God knew that you would sin.
God loves you anyway.

The most important thing is to try. David was an adulterer and a murderer, yet God “testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’” (Acts 13:22). The authenticity of the attempt is the most important issue.

Will it get easier after my conversion?

It will only get easier after your death. Sorry to be so blunt, but that’s the truth.

However, it’s not like being a Christian is a bad thing. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10).

One third of the world’s population are Christians. If they can manage it, you can too.

 

[joamyred]

I’ve got some areas as well that are a trial to me. I can tell you some things that have helped. I don’t know where you are in your conversion journey. I am also converting (am close to being catholic ). I have found it great comfort to know that we have Saints that will intercede for us. I’ve been doing the rosary for awhile now. It’s helped a great deal. I would agree with the idea of avoiding the near occasion of sin. There are times that I know I need to not go near my computer (even with the best of intentions) because I am battling temptation. I keep a rosary (has a crucifix on it) by my computer and with me most of the time to help me focus on someone else.

I have had the privelige of making my first reconciliation and have heard that this is (in my brief experience would agree) a big help in overcoming sin.

Last thing is something one of our priests told us about the sacrement of reconciliation. God knows that we are tempted and that we goof up and that we make mistakes. He hates the sin but loves us - that is why He gave us this sacrement. (In other words, do your best, but learn to forgive yourself like God forgives you.)

 

[InSearchOfGod]

You can stop sinning! I don’t mean to sound unkind or anything, but the reason we all sin is because we choose to. It’s not just because we’re human, we all have the ability and the power to be sinless from this moment forth. And we probably will all hope and try. Not that we don’t need help, of course we do, but it still is up to us. It really just comes down to the choices we make. Yes, temptations can be hard to resist, but they are never impossible to resist. Not that I am sinless or anything, but I believe this is the truth we all know.

 

[wcknight]

Jesus says the just man sins 70 times a day. BUT Jesus is greater than any sin. With His help we can overcome anything even sin. WIth prayer, the sacraments, and some determination we can change our lives and not be enslaved to our baser instincts.

Sometimes it is a matter of changing our habits, and chaning our routine. First we have to recognize that we are sinning (which you have already done) then we have to avoid the situation when we are most tempted, then it is developing good habits that prevent us from sinning.

It may be changing what books you read and what shows you watched, with a lot of prayer and developing new habits, you can do it.

As far as totally being sinless, you may have to be 6 feet under before you totally stop sinning.

 

[tom.wineman]

Welcome to the club. Even St. Paul had this problem. How fortunate we Catholics have the Sacrament of Penance. Use your idle time to study the Catechism and scripture. Most important is to develop a true love for Jesus Christ to where you simply do not want to offend Him.

 

[Augustine]

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” (1 John 1:8-10)

I liked this quote so much, that I added it to the web page of our parish to be displayed on every Saturday, when the sacrament of Confession is available.