I usually feel that temptation is a stimulation.
It is when the devil starts to put more oil on the fire.
It's also a distracted attachment.
Attachment to sin doesn't cost anything, yet, give consequences as results.
Attachment to God cost a dis-attachment of oneself, yet, gives tremendous graces as results.
The devil's job is to stimulate our pride so we keep our distance from God and point out to ourselves. Pride create a feeling of rivalry. We want to be at the center of the stage instead of God.
How we start to turn toward bad temptations: when a burning desire in our heart isn't fulfill, it finds an alternative solution which will provide a quick result for it. The main issue is, sin is exponential, growing from step-to-step until it reach death.
- pride, greed, lust starts to be stimulated
- curiosity to find an alternative to a holy life
- deviance toward evil; unplug us from the only and ultimate source of holiness (God)
- self-discipline isn't sufficient
- false anticipation for a desire to be fulfill
- everything truth about God start to get muffled
- see things through human's eyes instead of God's eyes
- confused mind
- forget God's presence near you
- impatience is getting higher (impatience develop aggressiveness)
- bad desires leading the heart
- God's laws comes after our desires
- losing trust toward God or the Church
- no feeling guilty or shame
- deny God's presence : evil seems more acceptable
- forget the fear of consequences of sins
- attitude that provoke / challenge
- roots in your heart for God starts to get detached
- attraction leading to distraction of the heart/mind
- addition toward "buy result, live with consequences"
- giving up holiness to attend selfish pleasure
- inner passion is shift away from God
- "on safe guard" mentality is melting down
- we want to keep the praise & thanksgiving to us instead of God
- obsession with our own desires
- attachment to "blinded" pleasure
How to resist better temptation
No one is excerpt from temptation. Some are better than others to resists it.
- prayers (the closer we get to God, the more natural we are to letting go) (Luke 22:40)
- state of grace
- God's grace
- humble attitude
- love
- patience
- being honest to know where it can leads you
- not relying on our own strength, but God's
- strong devotion
- discernment + experiences (especially Ignatian spirituality)
- fasting (dis-engage the desires for material wealth & give more space & opportunity for spiritual fulfillment) --> turn the attachment of material wealth toward spiritual wealth (God)
