Temptations
Until we destroy the root of temptation, it will continue to haunt us incessantly.
The temptations, though serious and troublesome, are useful to the man, because in them he is humiliated and taught, and is amended. All the saints were perfected by passing through temptations and tribulations; and those who could not endure became reprobate and were lost.
Origin of all temptations; the lack of confidence in God, and the inconstancy of our soul.
(Imitation of Christ I,13,2,5)
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We must be vigilant
The temptations are manifested in the thoughts, in the form of suggestions, impulses, and fantasies. When temptation tries to creep into the mind to trigger the senses it is like a small thing, rather it plays of innocence to avoid your refusal. Be careful not to fall into the trap of complacency thinking: "What's wrong?". Consenting to the lure of temptation will lead to dishonest pleasure, you will stoke fire in the grate of the senses, and you shall burn in the fiery flame of unhealthy urges.
What is essential is that you do not agree suggestive temptations with a categorical refusal, taking away from the mind invoking the name of Jesus through prayer.
You choose the object of your thoughts and if you allow profane thoughts to enter your mind, you will be taken to make unfair actions. Even the physical senses are constantly bombarded with lustful images that try to seduce and groped the mind, but if you refused them, the mind activates the will to extinguish the fire of desire. If you hold on to the thought that seduces you and fight for not receive it, then in you there is no consensus, if instead rejoice in your heart, and you think about it with pleasure, then you have opened the door to the consensus.
The fire of temptation goes stifled in the bud immediately, before it becomes a devastating fire. If you listen to the voice of temptation, has already opened a door, even if you stop a little on what Satan offers you, he draws you into its orbit and the defeat is certain. When raging tempted and in your heart you begin to minimize the consequences of sin means that the snake is squeezing you in its grip. When you ask yourself "what's wrong?" The time of the surrender arrived and you're now at his mercy.
In temptations there are many snakes that bite using a multitude of thoughts, if you want to run, turn the eyes of the heart to Jesus Christ, lying on the cross, his hands and feet pierced with nails, with his head and the splendor of the face transformed by the pallor of death. Meditates tirelessly all these things in your heart and the poison of the snakes vanish. If you agree to listen to the thoughts that come from the enemy, you’ll never do any good, and when you see that you are harassed to the point of not being able, either to pray or read the Scriptures, tried to invoke the name of God, and he will to your aid and destroy the enemy's intrigues.
When they are sprouting bad thoughts, feelings and wicked desires, when you are tempted to take unfair action. Watch the road ahead of you and consider the inevitable consequences of that act. Make out the evil thoughts, put an end to all that would lead you to an unseemly behavior. Choose the things you want that your eyes see, your ears hear, your mouth says. The temptation can lead to the ruin of the body and spirit. Addiction can be terrible and bring you into bondage that leads to the loss of freedom and inner peace.
An evil thought unearthed immediately loses its poison before it is even delivered the judgment of discernment, the fearsome snake, torn from his cave dark and underground, dragged to light and exposed to shame, beats a retreat. Its harmful suggestions, they have no power but as long as they are hidden inside the heart.
Flee lust because the clouds of your mind does not let you know the mystery of God, makes you stranger to the language of the spirit. Watched by the appetites of the belly, that makes you a stranger to the haven assets. Look impurity, it causes the wrath of God and his angels. Beware of pride, because it is the principle of all evil. Pride leads you away from God and hardens your heart. If the passion pricks you, or the love of money, such as envy, or hatred and other passions, react as a lion heart, brave, Fight them, and destroyed them. Cowardice fills you pretexts to succumb to laziness, unbelief and neglect to make you sink into greed. Every vice produces in devastating effects. The dark, the blinds, the mud, the crowd, the baffles, weakens it, but among all the vices that most blinds the soul is the pride.
Have faith that with the immense love of God, will not last long the storms that torment you now, that is the excitement caused by the lust of the carnal passion than from any other cause. God will give you a way to find the peace of mind that no longer will drag you in anguish.
The temptation involves an inner struggle to do what is right. If you constantly think in a sensual and carnal, you cannot grow internally because the sensual thoughts impede your spiritual progress. It trains the mind to obey the teachings of the Gospel. Stay on the path of prayer and begs the Lord to help you get out of the wrong way to get back on that line.
The Lord asks you, to wage war with heart all evil thoughts, not to acquiesce and not to please you in them. It’s up to you to fight, to fight, but who will allow you to eradicate evil is only the divine power. As it is not possible that the eye sees no light, nor speak without tongue, so without Jesus cannot overcome temptation. Recollect earnestly in prayer with an open heart, eager to know the will of God, in this way you can be sure that any temptation will be exceeded.
When upset by temptation and danger of falling into sin you always have to resort to the help of God and with his help wage the struggle that makes you strong spirit. St. Augustine writes: "Surrender to God and not to fear, because if he will make you fight, certainly not leave you just to make you fall."
It has not, therefore, to fear neither the hidden pitfalls or open attacks. That the enemy is snake or lion, you trample without fear and will land safely. That the temptations are large or small, violent or deaf, repeated or rare, long or short, leaning to the senses, the heart or the spirit; Attack your faith, your hope, your charity, your chastity or any other virtue, if not because of you, but for permission of Providence, are favorable opportunity of winning, of detachment and progress, and you do not be afraid, anxiety and discouragement.
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If you want to come to this joy and acquire the virtues, listen to Jesus' invitation: "All you will ask faithfully in prayer, you will get it" (Mt 18:20). In fact, without prayer, no spiritual journey is possible, nor can we follow the footsteps of Jesus our Savior.
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