Postby Adorima » Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:04 pm
Sebastian Michaelis.
Don't feel pathetic. Our Lord Jesus Christ suffered EVERY temptation, but committed none. You will be attacked because you are a human soul and Satan desperately wants EVERY soul. But God will help you. It may not seem all peaceful automatically after you ask for help from him, but you will see what he's done for you when you start resisting.
I'll tell you what my priests to whom I confess to, tell me the countless times I fall into sexual sin.
"Do not be discouraged. Do not give up. Help yourself. Stay away from the concrete things that bring about lust. aka. put a filter on your comp, careful what you read, careful what you watch, careful how you look at others. Always respond to temptation with a prayer to Jesus for chastity."
Like this: "Lord Jesus, thank you for creating the gift of my sexuality. I surrender this sinful desire to you and ask you please, by the power of your death and resurrection, to "untwist" in me what sin has twisted so that I might experience sexual desire as you intended - the desire to love in your image." And to reinforce your will to "die" to lust, you may also want to hold yourself in a cross, while repeating this prayer. The point here is to conform yourself to Christ, to carry "in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in your bodies." (2 Cor 4:10) Just resolving to not sin can be very difficult, at times it can be physically and emotionally wrenching, it seems few men and women can experience the freedom for which Christ has set us free because when they taste this kind of "crucifixion," they "come down from the cross." When those nails are biting into your hands, and the burden of the cross seems to heavy to bear, keep going. You are on the verge of a passover from death to life, from lust to authentic love. Only if we are willing to die with Christ can we also live the resurrected life he offers. - Theology of the Body for Beginners: A basic introduction to Pope John Pauls II's Sexual Revolution, written by Christopher West. Pages 50-51.
Chastity does not equal repression. Willing yourself to stop without God's help is repression. The late great JPII's message was that the body and the soul are not at odds. Sex was meant to glorify God. Similar to the 7 Sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation/Penance, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick) we have in the Catholic Church, or outward signs that truly effect on the recipient, what they symbolize, the HUMAN BODY is a sacrament. Nakedness doesn't inevitably espouse lust, it can with sin with a "man who is dominated by lust", but it was created in the beginning to reveal divine truths. We are, afterall, "wonderfully and fearfully made." ~ Ps 139:14 In our giving of ourselves to one another we truly love as God loves. And I highly recommend this book for your daily spiritual life.
If that's too hard for you to think of at the moment of struggle, then think of this: "Pornography is made by people who make their living addicting people and themselves are addicted. Lives who by your participation of watching their products, will lock them into their lifestyle all the more. We want to not encourage them to do this, we want to help them get out of this kind of life. They need a savoir just as much as we do."
Even if it's a cartoon, there are voice actors, people behind the scenes who do similar things to real life pornography.
And from my Pa," It's something you work our every day. Do not promise for tomorrow, tomorrow may never come. But think about what you're doing now. Do not deceive yourself by rationalizing (justifying what you're doing now without any proof or reason) your sin, or even act of considering the sin. Know that what you're thinking about doing WILL offend God, and your love, even the want to love Jesus and Mary, you will choose to not do it."
Another thing: Replace the porn with something productive and giving. This doesn't mean you can anticipate your times of temptation, but think about what you can do to help someone else. It will make you forget yourself. Schedule to volunteer at a soup kitchen. Or to replace it at a moment's notice, do something physical, something rewarding, like exercise or playing with the kids.
What also helps me is fasting. Fasting from food, fasting from anime, fasting from music, my favorite distraction basically. Distractions from God and silence, peace and prayer. One day a week give something up you like for the entire day. It's your training for when the times of temptation come. If you gave up potato chips for God for one full day, something you thought you can't live without eating for at least one day, think about how capable you are of resisting pornographic/sexual addiction which will fight to maintain it's deathgrip on you, but will be forced to let you go and leave you alone if you fight for it.
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" ~James 4:7
"You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." ~ 1 Corinthians 6:20
It's a struggle my friend, I KNOW. Always be vigilant, but know it's a struggle you're winning with the Lord Jesus if you pick yourself up! Every day, every moment you go resisting, even if you're not thinking about the sin at all, is a victory. The more victories you put between yourself and the sin, the prouder you will be of yourself, and the more clear your mind will be to fill it with the Lord.
I'll pray for you! Pick yourself up! Jesus be praised! I'm sorry this was so late in replying!
I'll be praying for both these girls and you Nate. I hope things get better for all of you soon.
