Dealing with inappropriate content, marijuana & alcohol as a female Christian

[TheStrugglingChristian]

I'll be honest, I've been having a really tough time with these sins. And right now I'm really wanting to smoke, but I know I'll feel guilty about it and it will make my mood worse. I was doing so well with not looking at inappropriate content and masturbating but I failed the other day. I feel like I will always just fail no matter how much progress I make. And I know I've been taking steps to better myself and my walk with God. I joined a new church that my friends brought me too and have even been making new Christian friends and going to worship and prayer nights. But I still feel disconnected alot. I look at everyone else and wish I could be that close to God and not want to do all of these sins, but I keep failing... and I feel God is keeping things away from me like finding a husband because of all of these issues. I'm really emotionally tired about it all to be honest. Why is this so hard? Thanks for reading this. I didn't want to bother any of my friends. I've never even told them about my issue with inappropriate content.

 

[bèlla]

What triggers your desire to smoke and look at inappropriate content? Is there a specific thought or mood that sends you in direction? How long have you been dealing with this?

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

Feeling lonely, tired, bored. Not wanting to deal with feeling down about things. I was exposed to inappropriate content around 5th grade and weed when I was in high school. I didn't care much until I started going to church and actually listening to what they were saying and reading the bible. That was around age 22.

 

[devin553344]

I'll be honest, I've been having a really tough time with these sins. And right now I'm really wanting to smoke, but I know I'll feel guilty about it and it will make my mood worse. I was doing so well with not looking at inappropriate content and masturbating but I failed the other day. I feel like I will always just fail no matter how much progress I make. And I know I've been taking steps to better myself and my walk with God. I joined a new church that my friends brought me too and have even been making new Christian friends and going to worship and prayer nights. But I still feel disconnected alot. I look at everyone else and wish I could be that close to God and not want to do all of these sins, but I keep failing... and I feel God is keeping things away from me like finding a husband because of all of these issues. I'm really emotionally tired about it all to be honest. Why is this so hard? Thanks for reading this. I didn't want to bother any of my friends. I've never even told them about my issue with inappropriate content.

As you continue to be Christian and go to church, you may find that those problems begin to disappear. Keep up the good work, you are making progress by attending church services. Good job really

 

[gym_class_hero]

sanctification is a process, it doesn't happen immediately after we are saved. And the Devil attacks more after we are saved-we aren't a threat to him before that. I need to pray to overcome things I struggle with but then I also have to take logical steps to avoid those things. For instance, I started binge drinking at an early age so now I seldom drink and I only do so if my wife is with me. Avoid people, places and situations where you are prone to stumble. God bless you

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

As you continue to be Christian and go to church, you may find that those problems begin to disappear. Keep up the good work, you are making progress by attending church services. Good job really

Thank you for those kind words

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

sanctification is a process, it doesn't happen immediately after we are saved. And the Devil attacks more after we are saved-we aren't a threat to him before that. I need to pray to overcome things I struggle with but then I also have to take logical steps to avoid those things. For instance, I started binge drinking at an early age so now I seldom drink and I only do so if my wife is with me. Avoid people, places and situations where you are prone to stumble. God bless you

You're right. I need to remind myself of that. I do find that I'm pretty impatient with things. I wish I could just be healed from everything now, haha. I will also continue to try and avoid things and people that trigger me. I'm afraid I'll lose people though :/

 

[gym_class_hero]

7 Bible Verses About Bad Friends Or Bad Company

 

[bèlla]

You’re not alone. There are others with similar struggles. Give yourself grace and time to learn better behaviors. This didn’t begin overnight.

How is your prayer life? Have you asked others to pray on your behalf? That really helps when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

I’ve provided prayer guidelines on a couple of threads that may help: Sexual Sin and Help me.

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

7 Bible Verses About Bad Friends Or Bad Company

Thank you for that article. I will highlight these verses in my bible as well to remind me. You've given me a lot to meditate on

 

[Phronema]

All have committed some sort of sin (Romans 3:23), and we all need Christ to overcome them. Don't be too hard on yourself so that you get discouraged, and never give up. That's what the evil one wants us to do. Also, God is a loving God (1 John 4:8), so I highly doubt God is keeping anything from you as a result of your sins.

That said *we* can keep things from happening in our lives as a result of our actions sometimes. As you continue to come closer to Christ things will get better

I'll pray for you! Please pray for me!

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

You’re not alone. There are others with similar struggles. Give yourself grace and time to learn better behaviors. This didn’t begin overnight.

How is your prayer life? Have you asked others to pray on your behalf? That really helps when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

I’ve provided prayer guidelines on a couple of threads that may help: Sexual Sin and Help me.

It really comforts me to know that there are people struggling with the same things. What you said in those posts were very inspiring and I thank you for replying and sharing your wisdom with me and others ❤

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

All have committed some sort of sin (Romans 3:23), and we all need Christ to overcome them. Don't be too hard on yourself so that you get discouraged, and never give up. That's what the evil one wants us to do. Also, God is a loving God (1 John 4:8), so I highly doubt God is keeping anything from you as a result of your sins.

That said *we* can keep things from happening in our lives as a result of our actions sometimes. As you continue to come closer to Christ things will get better

I'll pray for you! Please pray for me!

Thank you for that. I think I need to keep reading about God's promises and not give up so easily. I will definitely pray for you! Thank you for praying for me

 

[bèlla]

It really comforts me to know that there are people struggling with the same things. What you said in those posts were very inspiring and I thank you for replying and sharing your wisdom with me and others ❤

You’re welcome. Follow the steps I provided. It will make a big difference once you stand against this in prayer. You can do it!

 

[Dave-W]

You're right. I need to remind myself of that. I do find that I'm pretty impatient with things. I wish I could just be healed from everything now, haha. I will also continue to try and avoid things and people that trigger me. I'm afraid I'll lose people though :/

When i was in college (Michigan State) the pastor of the church I attended there made a statement about this that has stuck with me these 40+ years. It was winter and we had recently had a huge snow storm. He used snow as an image of sins. I will paraphrase his words since I do not recall them exactly.

Trying to deal with sins is like trying to get all the snow off your car. You can brush and scrape, and a few minutes later it is covered again. But if you get in and start driving south, toward the sun [SON] you will find it gets warmer and warmer. by the time you get to southern Indiana or Kentucky, where is the snow? And by the time you get to Mobile (we had a sister congregation there) there is no snow to be seen anywhere. So if you keep moving toward the SON, you will find yourself warmed and the sins will just start melting away.​

 

[carp614]

It is hard because of the nature of sin. This path, the Christian life, is the hard way.

Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7 13:-14 (NKJV)

It might not sound nice, but the truth is if you are really a Christian, you have signed up to battle sin in yourself for the rest of your living days. You are going to falter. We all do.

It's ok.

Repent and begin again.

Failure only happens when you quit trying to resist the sins that plague you.

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

When i was in college (Michigan State) the pastor of the church I attended there made a statement about this that has stuck with me these 40+ years. It was winter and we had recently had a huge snow storm. He used snow as an image of sins. I will paraphrase his words since I do not recall them exactly.

Trying to deal with sins is like trying to get all the snow off your car. You can brush and scrape, and a few minutes later it is covered again. But if you get in and start driving south, toward the sun [SON] you will find it gets warmer and warmer. by the time you get to southern Indiana or Kentucky, where is the snow? And by the time you get to Mobile (we had a sister congregation there) there is no snow to be seen anywhere. So if you keep moving toward the SON, you will find yourself warmed and the sins will just start melting away.​

I really like how your pastor said that thank you, I will keep driving toward Jesus and I will NOT give up!

 

[TheStrugglingChristian]

It is hard because of the nature of sin. This path, the Christian life, is the hard way.

Jesus said, "Enter by the narrow gate; For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7 13:-14 (NKJV)

It might not sound nice, but the truth is if you are really a Christian, you have signed up to battle sin in yourself for the rest of your living days. You are going to falter. We all do.

It's ok.

Repent and begin again.

Failure only happens when you quit trying to resist the sins that plague you.

The more I dwell deeper into God and his word the more I am realizing this. Before I never understood why I would be so attacked even though I seemed to be doing things right. But it makes sense. I was so blinded from my sin that when I started seeing what I was doing was wrong, I actually kind of wished I hadn't because the truth hurt too much. But he's worth fighting this battle for the rest of my life. Thank you for your reply

 

[Willing-heart]

God promised victory, but you and I have to claim the authority to win the skirmish. The battle was already won at Calvary, but you and I must claim the skirmishes and the victory. I find that I have victory over sin in my life when I approach each day acknowledging how capable I am of sinning or falling into sin. I admit every single day that I’m capable of lust, vain imagination, deceit, stealing, cheating, and laziness. And by approaching each day by admitting my vulnerability to sin, I find that I am in a better position to guard my heart and live by all the applicable promises of God that He gave me in order to have strength and victory over sin. To claim the victory and take the authority of Jesus, you and I must stand firm on every promise of God given to us in the scripture. For it written:

• “No weapon formed against you will prevail” – Isaiah 54:7
• “The One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” – 1 John 4:4
• “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ” – 1 Corinthians 15:57
• “But thanks be to God who always leads us in a triumphant procession in Christ Jesus” – 2 Corinthians 2:14
• “No temptation has ceased you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can endure it” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Deal with Sin!

Defeating Addiction

 

[Dave-W]

I really like how your pastor said that thank you, I will keep driving toward Jesus and I will NOT give up!

Amen Sister! Keep on keeping on!