The answer
St. John Chrysostom says: "Have you sinned? Enter the church, confess and your sins will be erased. Repent any time you sin. If you sin again, repent again, and never lose hope, for the church is a hospital and not a court, for He does not condemn us for our sins" (Paradise of the Spirit).This is a marvelous thing. Your story is one of triumph and not defeat. For three years, the Holy Spirit has continued to fight the devil with you. Your longing for repentance, persistence in confessions, and yearning to rid yourself of that terrible sin, is clear evidence that the Lord is with you.
I would advise you to take note of your environment when you are most likely to fall in that particular grievous sin. Determine what is your state of mind, time of day, surroundings, etc. which produce the setting conducive to engaging in that sin. Confront yourself with the stage passively set. Continue to be proactive in eliminating the environment favorable to that sin, so you may replace it with an untainted and wholesome atmosphere.
Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)