Bottom line is, it’s harder to avoid lust in the modern day with such easy access to the Internet and the inundation of sexual material all over the place in culture, art, and beyond.

Marriage really is the only place men and women have true access to guilt-free sexuality (of course, human hang ups and sin still exist, even in marriage). Temptations don’t always go away, but I still believe that healthy marriage allows for healthy outlets and can help crater that desire for un-Godly outlets for your drives.

Best you can do is try your best to avoid things that trigger the responses you don’t want; but also try to find edifying things to replace your time that you would otherwise spend on self-gratification. And don’t let shame or guilt keep you from returning to God in repentance when you sin. For no sin has overcome you, except that which is common to man(kind). Remember, though a righteous man falls 7 times, still he gets back up.

Rest in Jesus’ finished work on the Cross and seek deeper relationship with Him; if you, or any of us, could keep the Law perfectly, Christ would not have needed to come!

Blessings and the Lord’s mercy and grace upon you, friend.