habitual sins

[RedTulipMom]

Anyone ever get sick and tired of struggling with the same sin over and over again? Why do i keep doing what i don't want to do?? How come i feel like i have such a rebellious heart?? i have no self-discipline. How do i get some?? I am just fed up!!
karen

 

[ufigureitout]

Prioritize, Organize, Discipline. That's it.

 

[InnerPhyre]

Find a chore or charitable work that you don't like doing. Make a commitment to do it each time you fall into that sin. Should help take care of it

 

[Dream]

I am currently going through the same thing. It's really difficult.

Just keep going to Confession and keep praying for strength. And do all you can do to avoid a situation where you'll be tempted to do that sin.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Wow..you all sure did answer me quick!!! within a few minutes i got three replies! Thanks for all your advice. It all sounds good! Now to commit to doing these things!!! i feel so lazy and unproductive sometimes. Sometimes i fall into depression. How do you stay out of that state of mind?? anyone know?
karen

 

[Dream]

Wow..you all sure did answer me quick!!! within a few minutes i got three replies! Thanks for all your advice. It all sounds good! Now to commit to doing these things!!! i feel so lazy and unproductive sometimes. Sometimes i fall into depression. How do you stay out of that state of mind?? anyone know?
karen

Once again, this is another thing I have difficulty with.

Unfortunately, I can't give you any advice. Sorry. All I can do is pray for you.

 

[Skripper]

Anyone ever get sick and tired of struggling with the same sin over and over again? Why do i keep doing what i don't want to do?? How come i feel like i have such a rebellious heart?? i have no self-discipline. How do i get some?? I am just fed up!!
karen

Take heart, you are in good company. It appears that Saint Paul had similar struggles (as do we all):

Romans 7:14-25 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

 

[Mystery5]

All I can say is....

Welcome to the club!

 

[plainswolf]

Anyone ever get sick and tired of struggling with the same sin over and over again? Why do i keep doing what i don't want to do?? How come i feel like i have such a rebellious heart?? i have no self-discipline. How do i get some?? I am just fed up!!
karen

OH YES!! I can COMPLETELY relate. You echo my exact laments. For the past 4 months I have been praying the Rosary every evening.. this has helped me tremendously! I cannot stress constant and devout prayer enough!!! Even if few prayers but said with love, than many but with a cold heart. I shall keep praying to overcome these sins. But first I always ask God that I may love Him, and for the grace to bear every cross that He sends my way with humility and true contrition.. And I will continue to STORM Heaven with these constant requests as humbly and sincerely as I possibly can, and then some. For it is only through love of God that sin can be overcome.

I am at constant war with my body and it's disordered appetites. But I also know that with every cross He sends so also does He send the grace to bear it: "My grace is sufficient unto thee". Knowing He will never send a trial beyond my strength according to His grace. But how miserably I fall and recoil at the weight of these crosses, complaining in its task as Simon of Cyrene did, but still praying for patience and thanking Him for His great Mercy of these trials.

In all these frustrations and trials of overcoming, or lack thereof, I see so clearly my own weakness, my own sloth, and especially my own pride and my own will waring against that of God's. I too need so much help from all of you.

J.M.J.
plainswolf

 

[Roald]

I am doing better in avoiding an old sin. I find that its best to realize that some sins involve addictions. Working through the addictions is helpful.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Thank you all for the encouragement, scriptures and prayers. I really appreciate it. I am fed up with myself. There is so much that needs to change. I have taken many steps backwards over the past few years and am so disappointed. I was in a much better place in my spiritual walk a few years ago. I have even taken back some of the sins i had placed at the foot of the cross and let go of. It is discouraging. Anyone have any good prayers i can pray daily??
karen

 

[Mystery5]

My tongue is my biggest downfall. Either my foot is in my mouth with a thoughtless comment, or I am delightedly discussing some unsavory bit of news regarding some poor unfortunate soul.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Roald,
yep..mine involve addictions. So how do i work on them??
karen

 

[Mystery5]

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"

 

[Mystery5]

Dear Karen,
The key to overcoming addictions is to replace them with something else. If you focus on them too much, as my priest once said in the confessional, it's like throwing another log on the fire.

 

[Truth and Reconciliation]

One of the Fruits of the Spirit is self-control. As said before, it takes a lot of discipline. But we are flesh nonetheless, so it's good to spend time in devout prayer - a structured Rosary prayer or otherwise a random call to God.

If you draw closer to Him, then He in His infinite wisdom will draw closer to you.

Pax Dei,

Vincent

 

[RedTulipMom]

mystery,
Ya..i guess i know that..focus on something else..and that something should be God..right?? My biggest problem is i KNOW what to do..i dont DO it. I think of James when he said "Be doers of the word and not hearers only" and i constantly get mad at myself for not being a doer. I know we are supposed to DO the will of God. why am i not a doer?? sigh

karen

 

[RedTulipMom]

Ya..how do we get the fruits of the spirit??? why don't we automatically have them??
karen

 

[RedTulipMom]

I am so thankful there are so many online right now and i am able to have back and forth conversation with you all. I just need people right now. I feel so alone sometimes. I used to run a bible study at my house on Friday nights and work a retreat group where i went to weekly meetings all yr round to prepare the upcoming retreats, i was a youth director for a jr high and sr high youth group at a Methodist church, I attended a prayer group, I was a greeter at my church, i went to church services on Sunday morning, sunday night and wednesday nights. My life was full. I had alot of people around me. Now i have nothing. Well i can't say that..i have a beautiful wonderful sweet little baby that is 7 mos old and i take care of him 24/7. But i just miss some of the spiritual side of my life. My job now is being a mom! i also have a 16 yr old son that i homeschool. My life has changed alot since the baby and since leaving my church almost 2 yrs ago. I have lost so much of my daily relationship with God. Now that i am Catholic again i need to find the "Catholic" way of having a relationship with God!
karen

 

[plainswolf]

I would HIGHLY recommend the Rosary, which has indeed helped me to overcome some of my habitual sins.

"If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins 'you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.' Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if-- and mark well what I say-- if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins." St Louis de Montfort, Secrets of the Rosary.


He also said that those who say the Rosary faithfully every day will either stop sinning mortally, or they will stop saying the Rosary.



J.M.J.
plainswolf