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progress report: Week One
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TOPIC: progress report: Week One 294 Views

progress report: Week One 28 Oct 2021 02:15 #373649

  • shlemiel
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I feel encouraged by the accumulated successes throughout the past week, when “in the moment,” I was able to resist a nisyanos (temptation), b’ezrach H’Shem. Hopefully, these will add up over time – im yirtzei H’Shem. So, I know that I am fortunate that G-d will meet me halfway, as experienced, when I have called upon Him, to help me when tempted.
This has been most effective for me so far, inasmuch that, in the past, I have not been able to resist the strength of negative patterns from repeating in my life, almost everyday. And, so I think that the best way for myself, in order to disrupt the brain circuitry, the neural patterns that have been formed over time by my aveiros, is to seek ezrach from H’Shem in the moment. I think that this is working for me so far, because in those moments I am not relying on my willpower alone.

Re: progress report: Week One 28 Oct 2021 14:38 #373660

  • davidt
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Keep up your amazing progress and great attitude. 
If you really want to be successful at turning the struggle over to Hashem, you also have to do your best to turn the rest of your life over to Him, too.

Experience tells us that the reason it doesn't work as long as we focus on personal change in this area alone, is not because Hashem is mean or punishes, rather, it is because as long as we hold fast onto the idea that "I was A-OK - except for this embarrassing problem" - I was never really open for Hashem's help at all.  The secret to success is to let Hashem do it for us, as the Pasuk says: “Hashem yilachem lachem, ve’atem tacharishun – Hashem will fight for you, and you shall be silent.” To accomplish this, however, we need to learn to completely trust in Hashem. And those who learn this and give over the struggle to Hashem are amazed to find that Hashem actually removes the lust from them and keeps them "sober".

The Gemara says that Chavakuk Hanavi summed up all of the Torah in one statement, "Tzadik Be'emunoso Yich'ye – The Tzadik will live in his faith." Rashi explains that in earlier generations, people had the strength to concentrate on all 613 mitzvos; however, in the later generations we simply cannot. So Chavakuk Hanavi gave us the key: Concentrate on Emunah (Faith) and Hashem will take care of everything else.

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?"
feel free to reach out @  ahavayirah@gmail.com

Re: progress report: Week One 01 Nov 2021 14:14 #373778

  • shlemiel
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great advice.
I will take this to heart.
Shalom.

Re: progress report: Week One 07 Nov 2021 19:46 #374044

  • colincolin
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Wise advice.

We need more than will power.

Will power can win the occasional battle, but it is not powerful enough to win the war.
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