St. Isaac the Syrian says, “He who thinks that there exists a road to repentance other than prayer is deceived by the devil.” Without a doubt, it takes firm determination and conscious effort to overcome lustful thoughts and temptations, but we can’t do it without the grace of God. Therefore we pursue prayer first and foremost as our shield against temptation. Persevere in prayer daily as a critical step for repentance and spiritual growth, confessing your weakness to God and asking for His grace to work in your heart to grant you repentance and victory. Having said this, there are several points that are very important in the struggle to overcome temptations of lust:
+ Cut the sinful thought off from the first moment, and don’t flirt with temptation. Redirect your thoughts immediately with a firm determination to safeguard the purity of your heart and mind. Determine ahead of time how you will react when times of temptation come. Have a plan and stick to it, whether it be a specific prayer, reciting a certain verse or psalm, etc… You can recite the Jesus Prayer – “My Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, have mercy upon me I the sinner.” Also remind yourself of the beautiful feeling of God’s presence, and the bitter feeling of being separated from God because of sin. Sometimes we overestimate our strength and underestimate temptation, and hence fail to break sinful habits because we allow ourselves to negotiate with temptation until we eventually fall into sin just as before. Therefore, never let your guard down and even when you have overcome temptation a few times, thank God for His grace which enabled you to do so, and expect the devil to continue plotting your downfall. Remember your weakness and let your confidence be in the grace of God.
+ Be very honest with your father of confession about your weaknesses and thoughts, just as you are honest with God in your prayers. Regular confession and counseling with the same father of confession is one of our most effective tools in conquering sin by the grace of God.
+ Change the habits which lead to sin and temptation, whether they be TV shows or websites, or friends/places. With a firm determination to resist sin and cut yourself off from evil, so that you may belong wholeheartedly and faithfully to God alone, avoid the sources of temptation to the best of your ability. Part of a sincere struggle to repent is to diligently avoid all avenues which lead to sin and to replace these habits/friends/sources with the good, otherwise the emptiness may result in a return to the former. So fill your time with the characteristics of a holy life – spiritual reading and Bible reading, listening to sermons, attending church meetings, learning hymns, service, etc…
+ Self control and discipline are critical for a Christian life. Therefore, pursue discipline in all aspects of your life – controlling your tongue, your temper, how much you eat (even when we’re not fasting), etc… If I try to balance discipline with some indulgence in my life, I will undermine my effort. Therefore we need to practice self control in all aspects of our lives, not just our thoughts. And we know that fasting is an indispensable spiritual practice intended to grant us control over our bodies and our desires, so use this tool with the guidance of your father of confession.
+ Do not permit yourself to fall into despair, no matter what happens. We are weak by nature, so do not despair because of lustful desires or inclinations, but struggle against them. Don’t allow the devil of despair to make you lose hope. Remember that our Lord Himself said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17). Believe in the abundance of God’s love and mercy, and His desire for your salvation, knowing that He is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, take our Lord’s mercy as your shield and confess your weaknesses to Him, continuing to struggle wholeheartedly against sin. Have confidence in the Blood of Christ which redeems us and purifies us, and attend Liturgy and take Communion regularly.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103)
May God grant us victory by His life-giving grace.