Help...

[allen_the_music_man]

Hello, everybody:

My name is Allen. I've just joined the Christian Forum and am looking forward to having a great time being a member here.

This first thread I'm making isn't the kind that I wish I could make, but what I'm wanting help for is really starting to drive me insane.

I've been saved since I was 9 years old, but I've been having a hard time here for the past few months. I've been so very busy graduating high school and getting ready for college (getting ready to go to college has been a huge and tremendous hassale all on its own!). I've been working at the local music store (Lucedale Music Company) and playing in a bluegrass band. All this while going to church on Wednesday nights and preparing to teach classes for Sunday School in the morning at the same church I attend on Wednesdays, and preparing meeting schedules and materials for a Royal Rangers class to teach at another church on Sunday evenings. All that PLUS writing songs and trying to keep up with my buddy, who used to work with me at the music shop. Now, I know being this busy, working this hard, and being as stressed as I am has to have something to do with my problem.

My problem is: I'm having a hard time stopping masturbation (my spelling is horrible). Each evening before I head on off to bed it happens. I'm sick of myself. I practically hate myself, but I know that I can't do that. I know God is always here to hear my prayers and to hear my concern, but sometimes I feel that after all my heartfelt prayers, He doesn't care anymore. I sometimes feel that maybe He's had it with me and my problems. All the times I pray, I ask for forgiveness and help from Him to keep me from falling back into doing the same thing again, but every morning I wake up, I feel nothing. No peace, no happiness, no joy...I even sometimes cry out to Him when I'm praying...I feel like crying now.

Sometimes I pray and feel so happy afterwards that I feel I've overcome my sin...but yet I fall into it again.

I know I would be wrong to say that God has forsaken me, because I know that His Word says that he'll never leave me, and that He'll always be with me. But why don't I feel Him here? In me? With me? Even near me?? I can't stand it when I fall into that same nasty, ugly sin over and over again. I'm sick of it!

I believe that God has forgiven me. He knows how much I love Him. He's all I ever think about.

I'm heartbroken. I feel alone. I need help. God has a plan for me. And I'm more than ready to go on it...or so I think I am.

If anyone out there has anything that they think they can help with, please reply. I need all the help I can get, from God and from God's people.

I thank you in advance for anything you may have to say on this matter. If I don't get the chance to reply back, know this: I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

In His Name,
Allen

 

[Akathist]

Hi Allen. I am sure there will be some guys who will reply. I know an old lady like me might seem like a bad candidate to give you some advice, but we all suffer from temptations of all sorts.

This is what I do. Before I go to bed, I pray with my own words. But I also say the Lord's Prayer: "My Father who Art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdome come (means to me the Second Coming of Christ), Thy Will be done (means to me, let me get out of the way of what you want best for me), on Earth as it is in Heaven (may all of creation praise the Lord!), Give us this day our daily bread (Lord, help me support myself and see all food and things as coming from You), and forgive us our transgressions (forgive my sins, I always list the sins of the day as much as I can remember them), as I forgive those who trespass against me (I ask God to help me forgive others). Lead me not into temptation (Help me not to keep doing habitual sins) but deliver me from the evil one (some versions say "deliver me from evil", this means to me protect me from the schemes of demons who try to get me to turn away from God). For Thine is the kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever. (praising the Lord is good for helping me stay close to Him.)

I also read aloud Psalm 51 as though the words were my own. (look at my CF home page.. the link is on the bottom right of all my posts, it has several Psalms and 51 is one of them.)

I of course pray with my own words but using these words really helps me.

Then before going to bed take a hot shower to relax yourself. (to substitute for touching yourself). Get a book to read to help you fall asleep and distract you until you are too sleepy to stay awake.

Just some ideas. Remember, God loves us. Christ came for sinners not for the righteous. But in His love for us, we are given tools to help us overcome the fleshly temptations that distract us from God. (Such as the prayers listed above which all come from the Bible.)

 

[drummerboyas157]

I know how this is man you can do it! heres an awesome couple verses [FONT=&quot]Galatians 5:19 - 21 Also what i belive is god is always there to help but he might want you to be the one that works extremly hard showing how much you love him above anything he is there to reinforce through scripture and worship i know what i do is everytime i feel the urge i play worship music this makes it much harder to want to just worship god every time you feel the need and worship so hard you just fall asleep after and just keep at it also fasting food is a great disipline builder if you can resist for you can resist most anything dont go all out just get started just maybe a 1 day fast here and there the move up when you feel ready i tell you i first tried stopping i could get sometimes 3 days but then fall back into it sometimes not even one but then i got to 2 weeks and gave up and i hated myself i was like all that time for nothing...just keep pushing its possible im at 3 months now and i barley ever feel tempted and i am as free as i could be belive me its worth it and it gets easier youll also find you have much more time on your hands i would fill it in with worship and reading its great!!! take care if you need anything send me a pm.
[/FONT]

 

[allen_the_music_man]

Thank you very much you two. Those are great tips. Drummerboy, thanks for the verses. And yes, I am trying extremely hard on my part. Lord knows...

Well, thank you very much again.

In His Name,
Allen Harvey