Can I be forgiven if I committed a mortal sin?

[Lisa5]

I am known to have committed a mortal sin. A few weeks ago I decided to watch porn. . . . I couldn’t sleep that night thinking of what I had just done. The next day I woke up feeling sick and my hands were shaking. I wanted to punch myself everytime I thought of what I did. I was haunted and I cried to God saying that I was sorry. Afterwards I started to feel shame. Now I really no longer feel shame. I asked God to lead me the right way. Also, when I had committed the sin of watching porn, I opened my eyes and I realized that I was doing wrong in looking at inappropriate pictures and reading inappropriate stuff. I would of probably still be looking at inappropriate pictures and thinking it was okay. It made me realize what I was doing wrong in my life. Now the problem is that I know God forgives and I always tell myself that God loves everyone. He is willing to forgive you. I feel calm because I know God loves us and he wants to save everyone. I probably won’t be able to go to confession in the next 8 months because of this crisis that is going on. I asked God to help me think positive and remind me that he always loves me. The problem is that sometimes the negative thought keeps whispering in me saying, " God won’t forgive you because you committed a mortal sin" . It keeps saying negative stuff like that. I need to control my thoughts. Everytime that happens I immediately start saying things like" GOD LOVES ME AND HE IS WILLING TO FORGIVE ME". I then hit my head trying to get it out of my thoughts but the negative thoughts always find a reason to make me feel like God won’t forgive me. I have to keep fighting this but I sometimes struggle. It keeps telling me that God hates me for that sin. I have to keep telling myself that God loves me and I asked God to help me only think positive. Sorry for the long story and I would really appreciate it if you would lead me the right way. I am a teenager by the way, just in case that matters. Thank you.

 

[TheLittleLady]

As a teen, I will tell you what I’d want a caring internet stranger to tell my teen: Call, email, text your priest and ask to speak to him about this matter. Talk to your dad, your grandfather, your godfather, some other Catholic in your family.

 

[kikiki32]

Sigh. I’m in a similar situation myself. But I’m older than you.

Look, God loves us, and forgives absolutely everything as long as we are sorry and we ask Him to forgive us (=confession). But if confession is not available right now, pray and ask for forgiveness, and go to confession soon when it is available again.

God is not a policeman that is there waiting to see which rules do we break to punish us. Not at all. He gave us some rules to live by and be happy. But He also told us that it takes effort to follow them. He knows that we are weak, and that means that we’ll fail and fail. And He’s eager to help us. Let’s just keep trying once more.

Forget bad thoughts. Let them pass.

And try to occupy your time. Take up hobbies, read, draw, go outside, practice sports, be with your family… whatever it takes. But avoid being bored and alone.

I can say that so far, the moments I’ve been happier in my life are the ones in which I’ve prayed more and I’ve been closer to God. The worse moments in my life have been the ones in which I’ve sinned the most against purity.

Good luck. God loves you.

 

[christismylord]

Of course you can be forgiven, make an act of perfect contrition:

“O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love.

I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.”

But remember, an act of contrition must be done out of sorrow for sins and love of God, not fear of punishment. Now when we go to confession, it can be an imperfect act of contrition (out of fear) but an act of perfect contrition must be done out of love of God.

 

[christismylord]

Now, the next step is that you have to stop doing this:

(John 8:7-11) 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

John 5:14 “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

And remember (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”