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My thoughts

TzegemariamTzegemariam
edited December 1969 in Personal Issues
Hello

I don't know how to control my thoughts, I have been having bad thoughts for like two years like about anything. I try to pray and do metanyas when they come but they always seem to be there. How should i fight them, i hate them and dont want them in my mind.

Please pray for me and explain to me how to fight them!

Advice please


A sinner
May God Bless

Comments

  • egyboyegyboy
    i would also like to know what we can do
    many people have problems with bad thoughts and we dont know how to get rid of them, including myself.
  • anba bolaanba bola
    Are the thoughts popping on your head, or are you dwelling on them? If it is just random thoughts popping into your head but you don't give into them and reject them there is no problem. That is the devil tempting you and you can't really stop it just like you can't stop birds from flying over your head. If the problem is that once thoughts come you think about them again and you don't put them down, then it is a sin.
  • ForeverYoursForeverYours
    when a bad thought comes into my head, i try really hard to push it away. but you know when you repeatedly say to yourself "don't think about this, don't think about this, don't do it, don't do it." and then finally, just to give yourself some rest you think about it. like a vase on the very edge of a table that's just on the verge of falling.

    and when i push away a thought, i never really push it away, more like shift it. that's my problem, it's waiting to leap back at me.

    a priest once said that a baby grows with rest & being fed. the same with the devil, by giving him rest, a place to stay, and our spirits to devour, he grows and gets stronger. and the best place that he lovesssss to stay isnt our hearts- it's our mind. Eve fell by first comtemplating and talking with the serpent.
  • anba bolaanba bola
    Here is what I try to do when bad thoughts come into my head (when I do this I usually avoid the temptation, but the sad fact is that I usually don't). I pray the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner) over and forget about the thought completely after a while. You'll be surprised the kinds of thoughts that pop up especially during the liturgy, and this has helped me a lot to put down the thought. You can also sing hymns until you are so caught up in the hymn that you forget about the thought. This is all according to what my FoC told me. Please pray that I may follow this advice.
  • TITLTITL
    I personally think the toughest time of the day one struggles with bad thoughts is in the mornings (before we get out of bed).

    I usually like to set my alarm 30 minutes early so I can hit snooze a few times and just relax (or finish my dreams...) before I get up, but this seems to be extremely dangerous because the mind is at it's weakest point (both spiritually and mentally).
    My FOC advised me to change the time of my alarm to the exact time I need to get up, force myself to get up right away and immediately start the day with metanies as to not give the devil any chance to enter my mind.... I'm still working on it (it's hard) :P
  • SmirserSmirser
    if your mind really prays in your hart,nobody can't forced you
    after opening the eyes in  the bad it's nesaissary to thank  that u still alive and ask help for the future day to live it for yor salvation.
  • i.love.st.demyana.i.love.st.demyana.
    I have the same problem and I dont know why. Out of nowhere the devils plays with my mind. I hate it.
  • kokiiekokiie
    [quote author=anba bola link=topic=11266.msg136085#msg136085 date=1302834253]
    Here is what I try to do when bad thoughts come into my head (when I do this I usually avoid the temptation, but the sad fact is that I usually don't). I pray the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me, the sinner) over and forget about the thought completely after a while. You'll be surprised the kinds of thoughts that pop up especially during the liturgy, and this has helped me a lot to put down the thought. You can also sing hymns until you are so caught up in the hymn that you forget about the thought. This is all according to what my FoC told me. Please pray that I may follow this advice.


    I've tried this also and it's amazing! While I'm praying, I try to imagine Jesus coming with white board cleaner, and wiping away these thoughts from my mind. Some particular thoughts might need a sponge and some soap, while others might be even more engraved... But honestly, whenever I focus on this image, I can't even remember what bad thoughts interrupted my peace in the first place, even though it would have happened moments earlier.
    Truly, AMAZING!

    Please keep me in your prayers!
  • SmirserSmirser
    Do you know that saints said that real pray has to be wothout imegination,
    you cant pray by heart if you have some images in your mind
  • kokiiekokiie
    [quote author=Smirser link=topic=11266.msg136597#msg136597 date=1303891213]
    Do you know that saints said that real pray has to be wothout imegination,
    you cant pray by heart if you have some images in your mind


    Hi Smirser,

    I might be wrong, but I think that only applies if you're praying to this image in your imagination. To imagine that God is next to me while I pray is hardly even inaccurate, as we know He's there always.

    Perhaps this level of prayer, that is, one without imagination, would be a higher end kind of prayer - not for a beginner as myself. I feel that using my imagination helps me focus as well as really feel Gods presence.

    Pleasee pray for me!
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    We are taught to be careful about using the imagination in prayer because it is an easy way for us to be deceived.

    If I imagine that Jesus Christ is standing next to me as I pray, then I might imagine Him anointing my head with oil, then I might imagine that He places an episcopal crown on my head. Then I might be tempted to think that I should be a bishop. But I am just allowing my imagination to be used to lead me astray.

    Generally speaking, all the teachers on prayer encourage us to avoid having any image at all in mind when we pray. I don't think it is so much a matter of beginner versus advanced, but that using the imagination in prayer can lead to many dangers.

    Father Peter
  • kokiiekokiie
    I can see how it can go wrong, but can't it also help me focus to know that I am sitting at the feet of Jesus, or at the foot of His thrown - and He is intently listening?
  • egyboyegyboy
    when i pray i usually just like to picture myself kneeling in front of the throne of God with all of His holy angels surrounding Him, worshipping Him. or I like to picture myself in front of the Crucified Lord who died for our sakes. is that really wrong? I dont see how it will take us away from God.

    these images are all going on in my head as I pray, and it actually helps me concentrate most of the time.
  • HolmesHolmes
    + Irini nem ehmot,

    Why not just pray with icons? No imagination necessary.
  • egyboyegyboy
    what if you pray in the dark?  there are many less distractions when it's dark
  • HolmesHolmes
    + Irini nem ehmot,

    There can still be distractions. If you want to pray in the dark, light a candle in front of an icon and pray. That, I think, would be best.
  • TITLTITL
    Praying out-loud works the best.

    The dark scares me. I don't think scary environments are helpful when praying.
  • joegjoeg
    I prefer praying in the dark. In natural lighting as well; when praying the morning hours, it is so much more glorious and uplifting to let the natural light from the Sun that God made stream in.
  • mabsootamabsoota
    wow u guys make me wanna pray, gonna get off the computer...
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