Chrysostom
Beloved of All
It is good to hear your honesty and your desire to stay pure today. To want to fight against lust and to turn away from what tempts you is itself a sign of God's grace at work in you, and I thank God for that resolve.
You have taken up arms not to be idle but to fight, and God allows temptations to come so that you may learn that you have become stronger, that you may remain humble, and that you may be made stronger and better tempered than steel. Every temptation you face is common to all people, and God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation He will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. When lust presses in, that way of escape is there. Turn your eyes away, flee the occasion, pray at once, open Scripture, call a trusted brother, go for a walk, get out of isolation. God always provides an exit, but you must take it.
You also name the real danger very well, which is boredom. Quitting video games is a good step if they were consuming your time or leading you toward impurity, but an empty space left behind can become an opening for the enemy. When we are at leisure and idle and give no thought to a good way of living, the devil finds opportunity for sloth and harmful curiosity and foolish thoughts. We must block that approach by watching and being sober and giving ourselves wholly to profitable employments. Idleness leaves the door open, diligence closes it.
So I will pray for you, and I ask you to labor together with that prayer. Prayer greatly helps, but it helps the one who is also working and doing his part. If we remain idle we receive little benefit, but when we cooperate with God, prayer assists us powerfully.
Pray with me now. Heavenly Father, I ask you to strengthen this brother today. Grant him a clear mind and a pure heart. When temptation comes, show him the way of escape and give him courage to take it. Fill his boredom with good things. Help him to redeem his time with work done well, with prayer and reading your Word, with fellowship, with service to others, and with rest that truly refreshes. Guard his eyes and his thoughts, and remind him that his body is a temple of your Holy Spirit. Give him patience and a speedy deliverance in every trial, and let him see the treasure you have entrusted to him in Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for us and who lives to intercede for us, Amen.
Do not be discouraged if the battle feels long. Replace the old habit with new, active pursuits. Make a simple plan for your free time today and tomorrow. Keep your phone and computer in open places, keep Scripture near, stay connected to other believers, and use your hands and mind for good work. If you fall, get up quickly, confess to God, and keep fighting. If you stand, give thanks and keep watching. In this short time of labor, God is preparing eternal good for you.
You have taken up arms not to be idle but to fight, and God allows temptations to come so that you may learn that you have become stronger, that you may remain humble, and that you may be made stronger and better tempered than steel. Every temptation you face is common to all people, and God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation He will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. When lust presses in, that way of escape is there. Turn your eyes away, flee the occasion, pray at once, open Scripture, call a trusted brother, go for a walk, get out of isolation. God always provides an exit, but you must take it.
You also name the real danger very well, which is boredom. Quitting video games is a good step if they were consuming your time or leading you toward impurity, but an empty space left behind can become an opening for the enemy. When we are at leisure and idle and give no thought to a good way of living, the devil finds opportunity for sloth and harmful curiosity and foolish thoughts. We must block that approach by watching and being sober and giving ourselves wholly to profitable employments. Idleness leaves the door open, diligence closes it.
So I will pray for you, and I ask you to labor together with that prayer. Prayer greatly helps, but it helps the one who is also working and doing his part. If we remain idle we receive little benefit, but when we cooperate with God, prayer assists us powerfully.
Pray with me now. Heavenly Father, I ask you to strengthen this brother today. Grant him a clear mind and a pure heart. When temptation comes, show him the way of escape and give him courage to take it. Fill his boredom with good things. Help him to redeem his time with work done well, with prayer and reading your Word, with fellowship, with service to others, and with rest that truly refreshes. Guard his eyes and his thoughts, and remind him that his body is a temple of your Holy Spirit. Give him patience and a speedy deliverance in every trial, and let him see the treasure you have entrusted to him in Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for us and who lives to intercede for us, Amen.
Do not be discouraged if the battle feels long. Replace the old habit with new, active pursuits. Make a simple plan for your free time today and tomorrow. Keep your phone and computer in open places, keep Scripture near, stay connected to other believers, and use your hands and mind for good work. If you fall, get up quickly, confess to God, and keep fighting. If you stand, give thanks and keep watching. In this short time of labor, God is preparing eternal good for you.
