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Forgive Is Divine by Father
Robert DeGrandis.Using the Word of God Father teaches us to remove our barriers to the movement of the Holy Spirit and points the way to a fuller, more meaningful Christian life. Shows us the Ten Commandments of Forgiveness. CLICK HERE |
WHEN THAT FIRST SINFUL THOUGHT COMES, STOP IT BEFORE IT BECOMES A SAND-DIGGER
When we're tempted to sin, it often comes in the way of a thought from the evil one. It isn't just our flesh. There are real entities that send us unholy thoughts (while on the other shoulder angels send good ones).
The bad thoughts are called "temptations," and it's not just having the thought that gets us into trouble. It's not the first one. It's willingly having such a thought, or hanging onto one. God may excuse the first tempting thought -- but when we don't dispel them, when we don't resist them, we're held accountable.
Anger. Lust. Jealousy. When we make such a choice -- when we allow a sinful idea to repeat in our minds -- it becomes entrenched. A brief thought of aggravation may develop into anger which develops into a tirade! Or, a quick thought of envy may turns into full-blown jealousy (and if we keep dwelling on it, hatred). A lustful thought becomes a fantasy that tempts us to pornography, fornication, and even adultery.
When we go yet further and verbalize such thoughts -- discuss them aloud -- they are enhanced geometrically.
And pretty soon, eradicating the thought seems next to impossible. They're like what they call "sand-diggers," little crabs that scurry into the sand along the Atlantic. They scurry quickly into the sands of the psyche and pretty soon we can't get them out. Sin likes darkness because it is in the dark that it multiplies.
Thus, one key to holiness is thus to watch every single thought. If bad ones keep repeating, head for the sacraments. Go to Confession. That sacrament has a wondrous effect on freeing us from harmful patterns of thought, for when we confess, we shed light into the darkness and feel an actual release from thoughts that have haunted us.
We start with a clean slate.
And it becomes easier to resist the next temptation.
This is all crucial because when we die, we'll be held accountable not only for everything we have done, or everything we have said, but for everything we have thought (or at least every bad thought that we have clung to).
So stop every little fiery dart and halt temptation at its first hint. Don't let the sand-digger dig. If there's a thought of lust, quench it with one of holiness, and if there's a thought of anger, quench it with love.
This is what the Bible calls resisting the devil -- and like the Good Book says, when we resist him long enough, he finally gives up.