Dear Submitter,

I have viewed the portion of your site about teens and I have
chosen to e-mail you. I have trouble keeping myself sexually pure.
I used to look at pornography, but don't anymore. Nevertheless, I
still struggle with various sexual acts, thoughts, and desires and am in
fear that God does not forgive me. I try to do right and pray about it
constantly, and for awhile was doing better but I slipped again and I
feel like I have rejected God's guidance too many times and there is
no hope for me. I want to go to heaven more than anything in the world,
but I feel that there is no way I will ever make it. I pray for forgiveness,
but I just don't feel assured that God forgives me. Please e-mail me and
pray for me. I would really appreciate it.

J.J.

Dear J.J.,

I am responding to your e-mail about the trouble you
are having keeping sexually pure. First, I want to thank
you for sharing such a personal and difficult situation.

You should start viewing your sexual thoughts as a test.
When the thoughts or urges surface, immediately stop and
remember God and remember that you are being put to the
test. God informs you how to protect yourself from this test
in 23:97-98: Say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the
whispers of the devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord,
lest they come near me."

Since you fear God as you do and you want to go to
heaven "more than anything in the world," you should try to
be more conscious about the Hereafter when you are feeling
weak and vulnerable.

Know that God will not test you beyond your means and that
by focusing your energy on wanting to love and please God
other thoughts will be more difficult to sneak in. Meditating at
night, reading the Quran in the morning, doing your prayers
regularly, and forcing yourself to be with people who worship
God will be helpful. Also, keep praying to God for help and
support. You can never pray enough, especially in difficult
situations.

When you pray for forgiveness you must trust in God that He
will forgive you. You can't pray for forgiveness and think in your
mind that your prayer is hopeless. However, praying for forgiveness
is just one step.

The first step to forgiveness is remembering God when you do
something wrong, then immediately asking for forgiveness, then
repenting, and, finally, reforming yourself.

You should change your outlook that there is "no hope" for you.
If you feel there is no hope then you may have no motivation
to reform yourself. There is hope!

[Quran 22:15] If anyone thinks that GOD cannot support him in this life and in the
Hereafter, let him turn completely to (his creator in) heaven, and sever (his
dependence on anyone else). He will then see that this plan eliminates anything that
bothers him.

You are aware of your weakness and, more importantly, you appreciate and respect God. Otherwise, you would be giving in to temptation without caring or realizing that it is wrong. It's tough work to get through this but God says that with pain there is gain.

This life is short. The Hereafter is awesome and eternal. It's worth
any effort it takes.

God bless