"It would be nice and fairly nearly true to say that "from that time forth Eustace was a different boy." To be strictly accurate, he began to be a different boy. He had relapses. There were still many days when he could be very tiresome. But most of those I shall not notice. The cure had begun." Eustace in "Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S.Lewis

I've had a week of struggling with areas of sin I thought I'd been free from. Lonliness has been there! In the midst of knowing God has me exactly where and when he wants me, I've still struggled. Impatience and too much time alone have encouraged me in this struggle. Even places like this, normally friendly, have seemed to be unsafe. I've found myself more concerned with proving myself, and less concerned with loving God and you all. I'm saying this, not to elicit pity, or even concern, but rather to call it what it is, and try to move on from it to the next place God has called me to go! What is different about now ? I have learned not to beat myself up in improper ways, but to repent, get back up from the dung heap, and move on! I am starting to wonder about the ways God uses to produce movement when we find ourselves in unwholesome places. The monastics used prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to break the hold of sin and the flesh. Maybe DR can post about the monastic concept of movement into sin and then movement away from sin. I think there were seven steps down and back up? Anyway, I am probably going to also consider limits on my internet time etc. So. if I seem to disappear for days at a time, you know what's going on.......after all, I do want to be a different boy, reflecting His image and likeness and not the bent one that I seem to keep being shown by the "other one".
sigh..... to be like Him.....