Overcoming Lustful Desires

Today I’m going to study about overcoming lustful desires. Not only do I feel this is a core issue that I need to overcome, but I’ve been having difficulties lately with just “browsing” Facebook, looking at pictures of girls with no more than the intent to lust…

I haven’t looked at pornography, but I feel looking at these pictures is the start of something that is not going to help me have the Spirit.

One good note:

• I made amends with a lady at Church in person. It was interesting how it all happened: I’d been thinking about calling her and just apologizing over the phone. As I thought about that, I came to the conclusion that that would be the “easy way out”. I knew I needed to apologize in person. I hadn’t really thought of it yesterday when I went to Church, but as I was walking in the hall, there she was. My first impression was to just say hello and walk by. But, I fought that urge and decided now was as good a time as any. I apologized and it felt really good to get this off my back.

The talk I’m going to study today is titled, “Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul” by Elder Holland.

“It grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech … before … many … whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate.”¹

Lust is an unsavory word, and it is certainly an unsavory topic for me to address, but there is good reason why in some traditions it is known as the most deadly of the seven deadly sins.²

Why is lust such a deadly sin? Well, in addition to the completely Spirit-destroying impact it has upon our souls, I think it is a sin because it defiles the highest and holiest relationship God gives us in mortality—the love that a man and a woman have for each other and the desire that couple has to bring children into a family intended to be forever.

What are the steps we can take to overcome this sin of lust?

Above all, start by separating yourself from people, materials, and circumstances that will harm you…Like Joseph in the presence of Potiphar’s wife,⁴ just run—run as far away as you can get from whatever or whoever it is that beguiles you.

Pray without ceasing. Ask for angels to help you.

…as members of His Church, we pledge every Sunday of our lives to take upon ourselves His name and promise to “always remember him.”⁸ So let us work a little harder at remembering Him—especially that He has “borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows … , [that] he was bruised for our iniquities … ; and with his stripes we are healed.”⁹

I feel good about reading this.

I know there are things I need to do. The first thing is eliminate all “friends” on Facebook that only invite me to “browse”.

I also need to set rules for myself to NEVER look at pictures of people – EVER: it never does any good, it’s a waste of time, and it’s falling in to a trap that Satan wants to catch me in. Knowing this, I need to act today and change this direction in my life.

I just eliminated all the A-C friends that I don’t know or that I don’t feel would be helpful in my objectives with this post.

I know this is an important part of getting past my lustful tendencies.

I’m grateful for the desires I have to change and become free from this addiction and all it’s potential problems.

Hasta manana!

Nate