Do you hate temptations?

[JoabAnias]

I often find when temptations come my biggest struggle is in not loving the temptation for where it leads.

Any thoughts?

 

[stone]

speaking of lasso's, i know that when temptations come, satan has a trap laid out to try and snare me up. He doesn't quit either.

I pray often to not be lead into temptation.

 

[isabella1]

speaking of lasso's, i know that when temptations come, satan has a trap laid out to try and snare me up. He doesn't quit either.

I pray often to not be lead into temptation.

I know what you mean.

 

[PassthePeace1]

I have mixed emotions about temptation. I mean they do present opportunities to grow in faith, and are a good gauge on where I am spiritually. I usually am stronger in the long run, if with God's help I come out on the winning end of a struggle. On the other hand if I fail, it's a good reminder to me, that I am not leaning and trusting enough in God to help me thru the struggle, and that I probably relied more on myself than God.

Looking back on my spiritual journey, I can see that I have often learned alot about myself and God's Mercy in my failures.....and my gratitude of Christ Mercy is renewed.

 

[Rhamiel]

resisting temptation shows the victory of Christ over sin and death

but I am weak, and I fail over and over agian, I hate temptation, I know that this is not the right way to feel, but it is how I feel

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I often find when temptations come my biggest struggle is in not loving the temptation for where it leads.

Any thoughts?

John Michael Talbot's song "Confession," which is based on 1 John, says it
to me best.

I see a struggle now within, alive in my soul, as I'm dying to sin.
I do the things that I hate, so I hate what I do, who will deliver me?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, for there is no condemnation at all.

This is the message we have heard, we have seen with our eyes, we have touched with hands.
The Word of Life appeared, the Word became flesh, the Word dwelt among us.
The Word of Life, the God of Life, and in Him there is no darkness at all.

If we claim to have fellowship with him, yet we walk in the dark, we live in a lie.
IF we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, the Word is not within us.
If we confess our sins, and cry out to God, he will forgive and purify our human hearts.
For those who are in Jesus Christ, He has given us of the Spirit of God.
I see a struggle now within, alive in my soul, as I'm dying to sin...

I love this song. It says so much about our human condition.

Jim

 

[Memento Mori]

I don't hate the temptation, I hate the sin that often follows.

I can't help but be proud when I do resist a temptation. I find myself praying, "Did you see that, God?"

 

[Michie]

I often find when temptations come my biggest struggle is in not loving the temptation for where it leads.

Any thoughts?

I don't love temptation. God can turn bad into good & give us learning experiences from temptation or any situation. But I don't love temptation.
I'd be lying to say that I did.

I'm quite fond of the prayer Jesus taught us & the part about not leading us into temptation & delivering us from evil.

 

[JoabAnias]

resisting temptation shows the victory of Christ over sin and death

but I am weak, and I fail over and over agian, I hate temptation, I know that this is not the right way to feel, but it is how I feel

I have acctually found that trying to "accept" the temptation helps to overcome it.

I know that sounds like a paradox but when I was despising my temptations all the time it seemed harder to overcome it.

Early recognition that it is a temptation seems to be the biggest help.

Book 1 Chapter 13 of the Immitation of Christ is an immense help for me.

Resisting Temptation

SO LONG as we live in this world we cannot escape suffering and temptation. Whence it is written in Job: “The life of man upon earth is a warfare.” Job 7:1. Everyone, therefore, must guard against temptation and must watch in prayer lest the devil, who never sleeps but goes about seeking whom he may devour, find occasion to deceive him. No one is so perfect or so holy but he is sometimes tempted; man cannot be altogether free from temptation.

Yet temptations, though troublesome and severe, are often useful to a man, for in them he is humbled, purified, and instructed. The saints all passed through many temptations and trials to profit by them, while those who could not resist became reprobate and fell away. There is no state so holy, no place so secret that temptations and trials will not come. Man is never safe from them as long as he lives, for they come from within us—in sin we were born. When one temptation or trial passes, another comes; we shall always have something to suffer because we have lost the state of original blessedness.

Many people try to escape temptations, only to fall more deeply. We cannot conquer simply by 17 fleeing, but by patience and true humility we become stronger than all our enemies. The man who only shuns temptations outwardly and does not uproot them will make little progress; indeed they will quickly return, more violent than before.

Little by little, in patience and long-suffering you will overcome them, by the help of God rather than by severity and your own rash ways. Often take counsel when tempted; and do not be harsh with others who are tempted, but console them as you yourself would wish to be consoled.

The beginning of all temptation lies in a wavering mind and little trust in God, for as a rudderless ship is driven hither and yon by waves, so a careless and irresolute man is tempted in many ways. Fire tempers iron and temptation steels the just. Often we do not know what we can stand, but temptation shows us what we are.

Above all, we must be especially alert against the beginnings of temptation, for the enemy is more easily conquered if he is refused admittance to the mind and is met beyond the threshold when he knocks.

Someone has said very aptly: “Resist the beginnings; remedies come too late, when by long delay the evil has gained strength.” First, a mere thought comes to mind, then strong imagination, followed by pleasure, evil delight, and consent. Thus, because he is not resisted in the beginning, Satan gains full entry. And the longer a man delays in 18 resisting, so much the weaker does he become each day, while the strength of the enemy grows against him.

Some suffer great temptations in the beginning of their conversion, others toward the end, while some are troubled almost constantly throughout their life. Others, again, are tempted but lightly according to the wisdom and justice of Divine Providence Who weighs the status and merit of each and prepares all for the salvation of His elect.

We should not despair, therefore, when we are tempted, but pray to God the more fervently that He may see fit to help us, for according to the word of Paul, He will make issue with temptation that we may be able to bear it. Let us humble our souls under the hand of God in every trial and temptation for He will save and exalt the humble in spirit.

In temptations and trials the progress of a man is measured; in them opportunity for merit and virtue is made more manifest.
When a man is not troubled it is not hard for him to be fervent and devout, but if he bears up patiently in time of adversity, there is hope for great progress.

Some, guarded against great temptations, are frequently overcome by small ones in order that, humbled by their weakness in small trials, they may not presume on their own strength in great ones.

 

[JoabAnias]

I don't love temptation. God can turn bad into good & give us learning experiences from temptation or any situation. But I don't love temptation.
I'd be lying to say that I did.

I'm quite fond of the prayer Jesus taught us & the part about not leading us into temptation & delivering us from evil.

I don't love the temptation per se' but sometimes have to wonder if I am in love with the sin I am being tempted toward which makes me not really despise the temptation as soon as I should.

See what I mean?

I have struggled with the "leading" part of that phrase you mention as well. Often wondering why God would "lead" us into temptations.

I seem to prefer an alternative which I have heard is a better translation that goes like this:

"Let us not fall into temptations".

That way it removes it sounding as if God is the one being the tempter.

 

[JoabAnias]

I don't hate the temptation, I hate the sin that often follows.

I can't help but be proud when I do resist a temptation. I find myself praying, "Did you see that, God?"

I don't know if I would be that proud.

 

[Michie]

I don't love the temptation per se' but sometimes have to wonder if I am in love with the sin I am being tempted toward which makes me not really despise the temptation as soon as I should.

See what I mean?

I have struggled with the "leading" part of that phrase you mention as well. Often wondering why God would "lead" us into temptations.

I seem to prefer an alternative which I have heard is a better translation that goes like this:

"Let us not fall into temptations".

That way it removes it sounding as if God is the one being the tempter.

Yes... I've read about that translation along with the translation from the 10 commandments. I read Thou shall not kill should actually be Thou shall not murder.

I'm a wimp. So the whole temptation thing is not something I love. Overcoming temptation always leaves an afterglow on the soul but the process??? Me, 40 years in the desert? Whine, moan, complain. Thats me. :o

Ick.

BTW- I'm gonna try to e-mail your beloved again. I think the e-mail prob is solved.. *I hope*.

Come to find out it was on their end. I could get them but couldn't send them.

 

[Michie]

I don't know if I would be that proud.

LOL!

Fear of sending bigger ones my way.

 

[JoabAnias]

Yes... I've read about that translation along with the translation from the 10 commandments. I read Thou shall not kill should actually be Thou shall not murder.

I'm a wimp. So the whole temptation thing is not something I love. Overcoming temptation always leaves an afterglow on the soul but the process??? Me, 40 years in the desert? Whine, moan, complain. Thats me. :o

Ick.

BTW- I'm gonna try to e-mail your beloved again. I think the e-mail prob is solved.. *I hope*.

Come to find out it was on their end. I could get them but couldn't send them.

I am about to run on a bus trip but I expect she will get it or at least see this later when she gets home.

 

[Michie]

Ok. Good to be back. I missed you guys!

 

[Scialen]

I guess it is about what we understand by temptations.

I love Fulton Sheen's approach, and it has stayed with me, and after meditating on it, I wholeheartedly agree with him. In short, it goes a little something like:

Why are we so conjured up about temptations? We are tempted more to do good than to do evil.

In essence, temptations are something good; they are an opportunity. Let's take an example of pornography. We have all thought that the temptation is to looking at porn, but we can also look at it as an opportunity to chastity. Every sin has its flip-side, so to speak.

From my experience, looking at it this way gives a whole new meaning to spiritual suffering in temptation. It is no longer to our detriment, but to our advantage. I had always read that in temptation God calls us closer to Him, and how much the Saints rejoiced in the purifying that came with temptation. It is always a call to Him, and in that way I have found myself with more energy to overcome the temptation because I was focussing on virtue and Christ, rather than focussing on the sin (albeit trying to not succumb to it) and ultimately failing.

 

[isabella1]

Ok. Good to be back. I missed you guys!

We missed you too! Bunches. Glad you are back.

 

[Memento Mori]

I don't know if I would be that proud.

I don't know, when you lose so many it just feels good to win one.

 

[isabella1]

I just had a thought while reading this thread. What if you don't know you are being tempted until you have gone to far and maybe even sinned, then you hit yourself in the head and said, oh boy, I didn't see that one coming. Sometimes I think you can get reeled into something without even knowing you were reeled in.

I know that you realize some temptations, and can pray, fight or whatever to avoid them. But what if you really don't see the temptation? Is that possible???

 

[isabella1]

I don't know, when you lose so many it just feels good to win one.

It really does feel good when through Gods grace you win one. I lose so many, I can relate to what you are saying.