Do you hate temptations?

[Michie]

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

Did you get my e-mail?

Let me know if it works.

How is that wedding dress coming along???

 

[isabella1]

Did you get my e-mail?

Let me know if it works.

How is that wedding dress coming along???

It worked, just checked. I e-mailed back to let you know. I have not started on the wedding dress. I wanted to wait until Father confirmed our date in his books. Which will be his next apt. I hope. This waiting is beyond agony. Then I might even go out window shopping first. I am almost afraid to have the dress made without a pattern. I am sooooo particular and want it just right. I would be blasted upset if it turned out less than I expect. But who knows, maybe I will soften on that, or just find that perfect dress when I least expect it. Even though it will be a simple below the knee (vintage I hope) dress, I still want it to be perfect. Ya know?

 

[Michie]

It worked, just checked. I e-mailed back to let you know. I have not started on the wedding dress. I wanted to wait until Father confirmed our date in his books. Which will be his next apt. I hope. This waiting is beyond agony. Then I might even go out window shopping first. I am almost afraid to have the dress made without a pattern. I am sooooo particular and want it just right. I would be blasted upset if it turned out less than I expect. But who knows, maybe I will soften on that, or just find that perfect dress when I least expect it. Even though it will be a simple below the knee (vintage I hope) dress, I still want it to be perfect. Ya know?

Oh good! This e-mail thing was getting to me.

I understand about the dress. You do want it to be perfect. I hope you find a vintage dress. There are lots for sale on the internet. You could look around.

 

[isabella1]

Oh good! This e-mail thing was getting to me.

I understand about the dress. You do want it to be perfect. I hope you find a vintage dress. There are lots for sale on the internet. You could look around.

I probably will look a little. you know what I like now, so if you see something send it my way.

 

[Michie]

I probably will look a little. you know what I like now, so if you see something send it my way.

Will do!

 

[JoabAnias]

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

Yea I know exactly what you mean. The problem I always have is thinking it was me that did something right and forgetting to give the credit to grace which usually sets me up for another goof.

 

[JoabAnias]

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.

This is wonderfully put. I have been thinking about it since I read it but was just able to reply.

This helps me: "We are tempted more to do good than to do evil."

Thanks for that.

 

[Rhamiel]

I heard a story, St.Augistine wanted his temptations to be removed, but when they were, he felt empty, he learned that it is in resisting temptation that we become more like Christ, who has victory over sin

 

[JoabAnias]

I heard a story, St.Augistine wanted his temptations to be removed, but when they were, he felt empty, he learned that it is in resisting temptation that we become more like Christ, who has victory over sin

"Fire tempers iron and temptation steels the just.... In temptations and trials the progress of a man is measured"

The teach us what we are. I think thats why someone said they hate the sin, not the temptation which makes good sense.


I get that same meaing of what you say from that chapter 13 of the Immitation too;


"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."

 

[isabella1]

Did you ever feel at the verge of being tempted beyond your means to resist? And you try to fight it with all you have, but it just isn't enough? Then you get on your knees in prayer, and it still doesn't help, so you are beside yourself just trembling inside trying to shake it.

Experiencing this has given me compassion for addicts. Then it made me ask myself, am I addicted to my temptations?

 

[CruciFixed]

Lately I've been falling into sinful temptation and I feel like a horrible person because of it. I really need to get back to prayer.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

FYI, the Greek translation for the word, "sin," is, "to miss the mark."

An analogy, an archer takes aim with his bow and shoots his arrow at the bull's eye, but just misses the center ring. Is he a bad archer? No, just missed on that particular shot.

Understanding it in the proper context, helps us to understand what it is we're doing, when we sin. We miss the mark.



Jim

 

[CruciFixed]

I feel like my sin is worse than just missing the mark.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I feel like my sin is worse than just missing the mark.

You have to reconcile yourself with God, and the Church, but just as importantly, yourself.

Jim