The Effects of Our Deeds on Spiritual Progress

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.
As-salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu : )

As I'm stumbling and fumbling my way along this long and arduous Path, I'm discovering a few things... One of the things I'm discovering now-a-days is that there are certain things which effect your spiritual progress *greatly* and for the most part they differ from person to person. For this reason you really have to be extremely careful about and protective of your imaan, because most people aren't going to help you with it. Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar (may Allah increase him) was saying how imaan is a treasure... it's this bag of of gold which must be protected. Say you're given a bag of gold and have it on you while you're walking in the city. Even though no one knows you have it, you're going to be *extra* careful. You'll keep looking over your shoulder to make sure no one's following you.. you'll keep your hand on it all the time so no one can take it.. because it's precious and you don't want it stolen. He was saying how our imaan is the same way. It's this bag of spiritual gold which you hold within your heart that must be protected carefully, and everytime you look at something you shouldn't look at, or say something you shouldn't say, you're selling your imaan for that filthy thing. What a miserable bargain...

The thing which I realized recently is that for each person the things they do which eat away at that bag of gold can really differ. For example, if I look at a billboard of a scantily dressed woman I'm just gonna be like, "Ew. Astaghfirullah," then continue with my dhikr... with mininal effect on my heart, by the Grace of Allah. But for a brother that glance could greatly effect his spiritual state. That example is rather obvious, but my point is that you can't judge how severe an effect a sin could have on your heart based on the effect it appears to have on others, even if they seem to be on the same lines as you or further than you on the Path. Your path to Allah is your path to Allah, and no one else's path will line up exactly with yours. Of course the Siraat al-Mustaqeem is one, but each individual's experience on that *true* Path will be different, though similarities can and do occur. Alhamdulillah for teachers, well-versed in the nuances of the Path, who can shine the nur burning in their hearts upon the rocky road ahead, hold your desperate hand and take you step by step to your Final Goal...

A sincere request: please keep me in your du'as...

Was-salaam ma'al ikraam,
Zareen