Question

49. I was on a fast and doing well, my mind was clear and I was functioning good. But then I fell short and watched some porn, now I can't sleep. Can someone tell me why I can't sleep and what solutions do I have?
Asked by: Male, 19-25, North America, Christian on January 29, 2022 8:56:39 am

Answer

Thank you for the excellent question.

Praise God that we are frail and are imperfect.

The Holy Spirit is guiding you and reminding you of your sins. A person who is not of Christ would not consider fasting and recognize wrongdoing when they fall into it. A Christian acknowledges their shortcomings to go to God's forgiveness in the Name of Jesus.

Shall we say it is acceptable to follow the world's culture and continue to sin? Absolutely not! Yet, it is the grace of God we cling to, and it is our imperfections that humbles us to turn to God instead of to our pride.
Romans 7:5-6 (NLT) 5When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

Read the rest of Romans 7, especially verses 14-25.

So, to your question, how can you be more like Christ? How can you be holy as God calls us to be holy? We need His saving grace. As we remain in Him, He will transform our hearts so that we may obey His commandments (see Ezekiel 36:26-27). It is what Jesus did when He died for us and gave us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. So whenever you fall into sin, check your heart and turn back to God in repentance. Ask the Holy Spirit to protect your heart.

A reason you may not be able to sleep is guilt and pride. Guilt occurs when you recognize you have done wrong and believe you have punishment coming to you as a result. It is equally pride because you do not believe in the grace of God to forgive whenever you sin. Instead, it is better to accept that you have done wrong when He nudges you and, instead, turn to God for help.

You then ask for solutions. Solutions for human frailty are straightforward—the Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus established His people to represent Him. When Jesus-following disciples come together, it is called the Church, the Body of Christ. They are imperfect people who come together to trust Jesus alone despite their frailties, lacks, and imperfections. My suggestion is to take part in a small group of believers you trust so that you may share the difficulties you have and encourage one another.

Unfortunately, many churches today do not nurture deep and long-lasting fellowships. I recognize many unhealthy small groups exist where sharing anything private can go awry. However, if you are able, find a healthy group of Christians with whom you can share lives, as that is the definition of being a disciple of Jesus—Life-on-life sharing over time through deep relationships. Through these relationships, you can nurture relationships with people who may not know Christ so that you may make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). To make disciples, you must become one through relationships. In those relationships, you can grow together by recognizing each others' weaknesses and supporting each other through love and prayer over time.

I recognize your striving is not easy for a young man like yourself. Keep going. God will mold you as you continue to remain in Him.

Many blessings!

Answered by Dr. Sang Sur

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