My Addictions

[Leah]

I need help again.

I realize that the three addictions I have are lusting after men, masturbation and drawing men's attention to myself. When I first gave my life to Jesus, I told myself with all sincerety that I'd stop masturbating for good. For three months, I struggled like no other with this but didn't give in to that temptation. Now, I started doing it again and there are times when I suddenly wake up in the early hours of the morning and just....do it. Its like I don't even know I'm doing it until I'm done doing it. Its weird, I know. The other two are pretty self explanatory so I don't need to go into detail with them.

I know that I can't make myself stop these addictions because I've already tried it my way and its not working. I don't understand why I still have them, but they're there and I don't want to do this kind of stuff anymore. Enough is enough.

Please, I need your guy's support and prayers about this. I cant do it alone. Help me.

thanks

 

[jenniferstell]

I will surely pray for you! I struggled for many, many years with masturbation and pornography and fantasizing, with trying get attention from men AND women! I've just begun to get a grip on these things! For me, what works is just cutting it off as soon as I realize that I'm doing it. It doesn't always work, and sometimes I even defiantly finished anyway. But, the more I practice cutting it off, the easier it gets! I also don't beat myself up every time I do it. I just start again from that moment on. Actually, that's how I beat cigarettes, too! So, I know it's gonna work!

 

[njcl]

i dont think you should beat yourself up because you touch,if your not in a relationship your sexual desires are not being met,lusting after men,hmmm again your single arnt you,drawing attention to yourself,dont know what this implies but we all like to be viewed as desirable by the opposite sex,my solution is for you to find a boyfriend if your single,im sure those 3 addictions will die away

 

[Annoula]

Some times we just need to calm down...
there's no need to get frustrated or angry about it..
do the best you can, and if u fall...just let it there..don't feel angry with yourself.. we are all human and we fall easily..
don't give a "bad" thing a huuuuuge hypostasis. it is something it does not deserve.
go on and don't get stuck to mistakes.. u have a life full of beautiful things...focus on the beauty and the nice things in life...

take care

 

[tgg]

I think you've got to ask yourself this: does masturbating and fantasising hurt anyone?

If not, then don't feel guilty about it. What *is* wrong is if you physically act on those desires.


tgg

 

[vinc]

It takes years or even decades to overcome our fleshly addictions even though we may be born-again and/or water-baptised and/or holy-spirit baptised. The clever ones do not confess them openly due to fear of being despised or persecuted. The simple ones confess and talk about them and are usually despised by the immatured people.

A Man of God said, "A saint is one who knows that s(he) is a sinner saved by grace and a sinner is one who does not know that s(he) is a sinner."

Deep feelings of guilt in this regard may cause discouragements, frustrations, inferiority complex, low-self-esteem and depressions. This may in-turn weaken our christian walk, faith and affect our life.

We need to relax ourselves and understand that our Infinite, Invisible, Incomprehensible Father of the Universe is always-merciful and benevolent although christians or non-christians may despise, accuse, reject or persecute us.

I have my struggles in the flesh too and have found Lord Jesus Christ to be always merciful to me although i was despised on account of fleshly weaknesses. Man sees the outward nature whereas our Lord Jesus Christ sees our inward nature. As long as we are in the flesh we cannot say that we are perfect. Nobody is perfect, we are all growing to perfection. A Man of God said, "Even if you are an Angel from heaven you will sin because of the fleshly body you are imprisoned in".

The song below can be extremely encouraging for us -

(1) The Steadfast love of the Lord

The Steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
His mercies never come to an end.
They are new every morning, new every morning.

Great is thy faithfulness oh Lord.
Great is thy faithfulness.

(2) He Giveth More Grace
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow'r has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth,
and giveth, and giveth again!

- Annie Johnson Flint

Some scripture verses for encouragement and thought -

The Bible says in Romans 5:20 - Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

The Bible says in Matthew 21:31 - Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

The Bible says in Luke 7:47 - Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:1 - "for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin".

The above verses contain tremendous truths which cannot be ignored by any christian.

Even though all the christians and non-christians may not understand us completely and may despise us, our loving, gracious, heavenly Father and His Son Lord Jesus Christ will never despise us while we struggle with our fleshly weaknesses.

A Man of God said, "Christian life is a life of daily repentance". Therefore, we repent at the end of the day or the next day concerning the sin(s) which we fell into and seek forgiveness and look forward to living better in future.

This is my honest and personal opinion.

 

[Leah]

I GREATLY appreciate everyone's support and I'd like to add that I'm getting better with my struggles now.

And most of all......thank you to the person that always encourages me with testimonies and songs (you know who you are).

You guys are great.

 

[Saucy]

I still struggle with it and I'm 1 1/2 years in. It will take awhile. I was walking with God (I went for a walk and I talk to God about things) and I told Him about all my issues. He told me in that still small voice to take it one day at a time. I later found a verse in the bible that tells me the exact same thing. Take it one day at a time.