Why is TAW an endless source of temptation lately?

[Andrei D]

I have no good way to write this post. Any way I tried seems to be filled with too much pride and judgment.

I really want to say this though. I can only hope most of you will just understand what I am talking about in spite of my confusing words. There was once a TAW I joined, where we actually talked about how to pray and how to fast and about hard teachings.

Yes, the world seems darker, but what else is new?

We're all the way we are, and none of us measures up, but maybe we should at least be preoccupied, in here, about what is the most beneficial way to relate to the world's spinning rather than on the details of its spinning? I'm the worst - you don't know, I haven't posted too much about the "bad topics", but what I think? Oh, Lord, the way I think is horrible!

So, maybe I'm assuming too much, but I think we are all struggling with that, we are all trapped in illusions within illusions and we're not orienting our minds towards the "true North" anymore because of that. We might want to refocus discussions towards how to defend ourselves, rather than going on the attack... not on figuring out a new truth about fragments of facts, but rather on how to stay close to the truth we have.

Selfishly, I want support in finding a way through this, rather than a Twitter or Facebook clone...

I was listening to something the other day and the whole point was how we have to try (who knows if any can succeed) to allow God's mind, His will, and not ours in these matters. That we have to avoid the dopamine hit that "morally superior hate" provides, while still being hate. And avoid the same in relation to "pious fears". Take positions that are neither extreme, nor "officially correct", nor pragmatically relevant, but prayerful, and loving and hopeful.

I'm rambling I know. Hopeful still there's something useful.

Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

 

[pdudgeon]

This is a beautiful post! And the problem is not just confined here, but is rampant these days in many places that it hasn't been before.
I think it's good that you have noticed what is happening, and that you are concerned.
What I have found very helpful lately is to take a fresh look at God, and what He wants, and focus less on how badly we are becoming at following where He wants to lead us in our Christian lives.
I hope this is helpful for you.

 

[Trusting in Him]

Personally speaking all of these various lock downs have really upset my equilibrium quite considerably and this has thrown me way off course in so many ways. May I suggest that a good place to start into getting your walk with the Lord onto solid ground is to really get into worshipping and praising God. This not necessarily something which always comes naturally, but we can learn much of this directly from the bible. The bible is full of prayers and psalms. These can be our templates for how we can also worship and praise God. Also many hymns are pure praise and worship as well. As you worship and praise God it will change who you are on the inside and bring you closer to God.

Things like this are much more of a process, rather than a event, so these things happen over time and not necessarily immediately. You are learning about how to get yourself lost into the overwhelming presence of God and this is about you drawing near to Him and receiving the result of His promise that He will draw near to those who will draw near to Him. Ultimately all we need to draw near to Him is to read His word, take it to Heart, believe it and act upon it. Some of us find this easier than others, but we are all different and it's not about the speed of progress, but it's about becoming part of Him and His Kingdom. You will be His and His alone, if that is your choice and the overwhelming desire of your Heart.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I’d say because it’s Lent and the enemy knows we are vulnerable

 

[SANTOSO]

I have no good way to write this post. Any way I tried seems to be filled with too much pride and judgment.

I really want to say this though. I can only hope most of you will just understand what I am talking about in spite of my confusing words. There was once a TAW I joined, where we actually talked about how to pray and how to fast and about hard teachings.

Yes, the world seems darker, but what else is new?

We're all the way we are, and none of us measures up, but maybe we should at least be preoccupied, in here, about what is the most beneficial way to relate to the world's spinning rather than on the details of its spinning? I'm the worst - you don't know, I haven't posted too much about the "bad topics", but what I think? Oh, Lord, the way I think is horrible!

So, maybe I'm assuming too much, but I think we are all struggling with that, we are all trapped in illusions within illusions and we're not orienting our minds towards the "true North" anymore because of that. We might want to refocus discussions towards how to defend ourselves, rather than going on the attack... not on figuring out a new truth about fragments of facts, but rather on how to stay close to the truth we have.

Selfishly, I want support in finding a way through this, rather than a Twitter or Facebook clone...

I was listening to something the other day and the whole point was how we have to try (who knows if any can succeed) to allow God's mind, His will, and not ours in these matters. That we have to avoid the dopamine hit that "morally superior hate" provides, while still being hate. And avoid the same in relation to "pious fears". Take positions that are neither extreme, nor "officially correct", nor pragmatically relevant, but prayerful, and loving and hopeful.

I'm rambling I know. Hopeful still there's something useful.

Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Temptation is also said as trial.

Beloved one, this is what we have heard before:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Aren’t we amazed by what apostle James said? When we fell into various trials ! Won’t most likely we grief, grew despair, or even sorrowful? Can we count joy as we counted the number of trials we faced ? It seemed what apostle James said to be at odd, when we considered circumstances or situations?

But this is what we have heard:

“looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Beloved one, we count our joy when we faced various trial by looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, not at our circumstances or situations.

Didn’t we hear : who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross ? Beloved ones, the joy set before Christ is us !

For this, we heard :
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭2:19-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Why we become our Lord’s joy or apostles’ joy ? Because they dearly love us.

Though knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience ! Didn’t we find out our patience almost exhausted or may already be exhausted? How can apostle James be so confidential that our faith produces patience?

Beloved ones, when we look unto Jesus our joy, in our trial or the testing of our faith produce the patience of Christ in us.
And we let the patience of Christ have its perfect work, that we may be perfect, complete lacking in nothing because we are with Christ, and in Christ.
When we are with Christ and in Christ, we lack no wisdom, for Christ become our wisdom from God, that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Are we still considering our affliction in various trials ? This, we heard:

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭4:17-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So in our affliction, we should look at Jesus who is eternal, who is also our joy.

Let us pray beloved ones:

Loving Heavenly Father,

Help me, I pray, to set my heart on heaven
so that I will rejoice and be glad,
giving thanks for the great happiness that awaits me above.

Help me to focus not on what I can see, for that will soon come to an end,
but on what is unseen — Heavens and its glory.

These are eternal realities that await me if I overcome and endure to the end in faith.

Let my thoughts be drawn towards heavens, so that in my heart I may live there even now and have a foretaste of heavens and its eternal glory.
Amen