Young men/women take heart

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Mark_Robert

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I’ve read various threads on how young people are having trouble with temptations of impurity. Let me assure you that what you are experiencing is very symptomatic of being a young man or woman with raging hormones.(I’m not excusing it. You must still struggle against impurity with the grace of God! :tsktsk: ) I can assure you, however, that such trials in their full strength will not last indefinitely.
I’m about to turn 34 and let me tell you, I have a great deal more freedom in the area of sexuality than I ever had in my teens and twenties. I’d say my sexual drive is about a fourth of what it used to be. That doesn’t mean I still don’t find the opposite sex attractive. It’s just that I don’t have to constantly struggle to remain pure. I can’t imagine what a further relief my 40s and 50s will bring. It does get easier, much easier as you get older. Who says getting older isn’t a blessing? 😃 So take heart and realize that such trials are normally associated with the youthful state.
 
Sigh. If only that were true for me!

Back in my teens and twenties, I could have made Bill Clinton look like a Carthusian monk in comparison! But then I got married, settled down, and returned to the Christian Faith. Still, at age 40, I still struggle with the old horndog that is still trying to come out each and every day.

I can honestly say that my drive is still quite powerful. It doesn’t help that my career is here at a major southern US university, where the women are all known for bouncing around in the skimpiest of dress! Temptations all around.

What makes it good, though, is that despite whatever comes my way, I do have the good Lord with me as well as the guardian angel looking over my shoulder. So when I do meet up with some nymphet, I turn to them for assistance, strive to put things into perspective (eg. seeing the humanity of the young lady in question, praying for strength to overcome the urges, and etc.) and then find out just how wonderful a good the sacrament of matrimony is, where all of the sexual tension can be relieved in the marriage act. And even if you do fail, remember that God is merciful and that strengthening grace is available through confession.

So indeed, do take heart! Keep your eyes on the Lord, and you will do fine.
 
Mark Robert:
It’s just that I don’t have to constantly struggle to remain pure. I can’t imagine what a further relief my 40s and 50s will bring. It does get easier, much easier as you get older. Who says getting older isn’t a blessing? 😃 So take heart and realize that such trials are normally associated with the youthful state.
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You have got to be kidding me!!! Ohhh if that were only true. I am in my 40’s and this continues to be a struggle.

As AnglicanRite syas, all eyes on the Lord to help with this battle.
 
I don’t know why I’ve had such a dramatic drop. I guess based on the responses my situation is rather atypical. My father has experienced the same thing in later life. In his fifties, he used to surf the net for pornography quite often. Now, in his sixties, he NEVER looks for naked pictures. I know because I used to look at the internet history which he never tried to erase and there’s nothing sexual related. He’s even told me repeatedly that he no longer has much sexual interest. Haven’t you had at least a slight drop in sexual pressure as the years have gone by? Are you telling me your drive is the same it was when you were eighteen? That’s hard to believe.
 
Funny I was thinking about this very thing today.
Mark Robert I am experiencing the same thing as you! I find it so much easier whereas before I used to have so much of a struggle. But, I believe one has to have to WANT the desire to be pure. It doesn’t come automatically. I have sturggled for so very long and even before there is a temptation, I look at the ground for the ground is so beautiful 😉 I avert my eyes and set myself up for success if I want to fight against impurity. But I have been praying and continue to pray for any disordered feelings to go away. This is the only way I have been able to control any such feelings. Yes it is God’s will that we be pure, but are we ready to cooperate? It is easier, easier, easier, than it seems once you persevere; and I feel sooooo Free!! I am not a slave to anyone; I feel like I can talk to any person in the world man or woman, boy or girl. I feel genuine and liberated because of it! It’s true that good ordered choices make us more free! I have never been more happy in my entire life!
 
Alison, my self-esteem has improved dramatically through the practice of chastity although I still have a long way to go in my spiritual journey. I feel light and free as you mentioned. I also feel more detached from the need for people’s approval and yet my love and concern for their welfare has increased. That seems like a contradiction of terms; to be more detached from human respect and yet loving my fellow brothers and sisters more than ever before. I attribute a large part of this to God’s reordering of my mind to respect others as human persons not objects for my selfish gratification. Having a right relationship with your neighbor and, in turn, with God leads to a true feeling of liberty; the kind of freedom Christ promised.
 
Yes, my own sexual is still strong, but through the power of Christ and by prayer, when I turned 17 this year, I lost my appetite to masturbate. Alleluia to that!

Of course, my sexuality may have something to do with it, but nevertheless it is truly a blessing to me!
 
I think another contributing factor to my newfound freedom is that my job is very physically demanding. When you channel your energies through positive outlets (like work, charity causes, exercise, creativity, hobbies, etc.) your basically giving your mind and body an outlet to express itself. The human body, by its very nature, needs physicality. Otherwise, it’ll find other ways like the misuse of sex to expend pent up energies. Idleness and excessive free time lead to sins of impurity. That’s why an affluent society such as ours falls victim to pornography and other leisure related sins. When I come home, I just want to crash. Those sinful activities take up too much time and energy. More than I’ve got after a hard day’s work. So if you find yourself excessively tempted, chances are, your life is not filled with enough legitimate activities.
 
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