Confuse and lost

[PractCath]

I often find myself very confuse and lost as I find myself sinning most of the time and always feel the need to head to the confessionals every week, even every days whenever possible… This have depress me so much that I often question about the love of God. At times, I even contemplate of leaving the church as I can’t keep to the standards. This afternoon during a homily, a priest gave a us reflection which keeps me pondering: Do I fear and love the Lord or am I afraid of the punishment that the Lord might bring upon the disobedient?

I am sorry for all the whining as I can’t take it anymore and I am on the verge of a breakdown.

 

[Toni]

Ask yourself is confession a temporary band aid or are you sincerly trying to overcome your faults?

Never despair; There is a book about Saint John Bosco and his dreams and one is on confession. I recently read it and was blown away by what Satan will do to get us to lie, not truly be sorry, not resolve to try to be better, or not fulfill our penance.

Never give up hope, go and get some counseling from a priest, or a good spiritual director.
I will pray for you.

 

[Wolseley]

This may help, especially if you’re committing the same sins over and over:

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 20, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is the catechesis that Benedict XVI addressed last Saturday afternoon to children who were receiving their First Communion this year.

Livia: “Holy Father, before the day of my First Communion I went to confession. I have also been to confession on other occasions. I wanted to ask you: Do I have to go to confession every time I receive Communion, even when I have committed the same sins? Because I realize that they are always the same.”

Benedict XVI: "I will tell you two things…it is not necessary to make one’s confession before every Eucharistic Communion. This is the first point. It is only necessary when you have committed a really serious sin, when you have deeply offended Jesus, so that your friendship is destroyed and you have to start again.

My second point: It is true: Our sins are always the same, but we clean our homes, our rooms, at least once a week, even if the dirt is always the same; in order to live in cleanliness, in order to start again. Otherwise, the dirt might not be seen but it builds up."

Simple language, profound theology.

So, I think even the Pope undestands that we all have certain “pet” sins that we have problems with on a chronic basis. I know I do, and if people are honest with themselves, they know that they do, too. Some sins you just have trouble getting rid of and keeping out, the same way you have trouble keeping dust from building up in the house.

That’s why we have confession to begin with: to clean the house when it gets dirty, even if it’s the exact same dirt, week after week.

 

[JoyToBeCatholic]

I just want to add what a cross it can be to suffer from sruples. I don’t know what it is that is causing you to run to confession every day, but I have also done this.

As one grows closer to God, he sees God’s purity and perfection and may come to desire it so much that the slightest sin, even small imperfections, seem most disgraceful. “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. You can do nothing on your own. It is a long, weary process; overcoming ones sins and imperfections. It might help to set aside some time and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you why you keep behaving/reacting the way you do. I often find the root of my problem is in my inability to accept that my way is not always best. I always feel an obligation to correct others when I see some fault in them, b/c I want to know of all my own faults (of course, when someone tries to reveal one to me, I also fly off the handle ). IOW: pride. Wanting my will to be done. It is always best to react prayerfully instead of compulsively. If I do not keep a prayerful mindset throughout my day, I will mindlessly react to everything any way I please with no reguard to what God’s will is at that moment.
Frequent examinations of conscience and short moments of prayer throughout the day are beneficial for this purpose - to remind yourself to be more mindful.
It might also help to think about your concept of God. St Therese of Lisieux said: “What a sweet joy it is to think that God is just; that he takes into account all of our weaknesses and imperfections”. Many people think harshly about God’s justice, but He takes into account all of our life experiences and all of the injustices we have suffered that have hindered us - all of our brokenness. It is a good thing to recongnize one’s sinfulness and see his shortcomings - and we ought to strive to overcome them, but one must be careful not to reduce God to the level of an angry tyrrant who is waiting for our next fall. You will not conquer your faults overnight, but it should be some consolation to know that God will reward you for your desire to be so pure.
Peace,
~donna

 

[Alma]

PractCath:

I would like to share two things with you:

Once a man went to a priest and told him he was on the verge of dispair because he tried very hard to please the Lord but never achieved this goal.
The priest told him: to try to please Him, my friend, is to achieve that goal!

So please, do not despair!
And do not stop confessing those sins. Each time you receive the grace that strengthens you and helps you overcome them.:bounce:

But beware of excessive scruples!!!

St Ignatius of Loyola said that Satan has a strategy concerning the souls: when someone is very open-minded and feels everything is o.k. Satan makes him more open minded so that he sins constantly and feels no remorse at all.
On the other side, when someone is very narrow-minded and righteous, and worriend about sin, Satan makes him believe he is a great sinner and has no remedy,:banghead: in order to make him abandon all hope of redemption, give up Confession, leave the Church, etc .

Both extremes are very dangerous!!!:bigyikes:
Avoid them both.

Throw yourself in the loving arms of our Merciful God and trust that his endless love for you makes Him undestand you and forgive you always, always, always:heart:

Alma

 

[Doreen]

JoyToBeCatholic:

I just want to add what a cross it can be to suffer from sruples. I don’t know what it is that is causing you to run to confession every day, but I have also done this.

As one grows closer to God, he sees God’s purity and perfection and may come to desire it so much that the slightest sin, even small imperfections, seem most disgraceful. “Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. You can do nothing on your own. It is a long, weary process; overcoming ones sins and imperfections. It might help to set aside some time and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you why you keep behaving/reacting the way you do. I often find the root of my problem is in my inability to accept that my way is not always best. I always feel an obligation to correct others when I see some fault in them, b/c I want to know of all my own faults (of course, when someone tries to reveal one to me, I also fly off the handle ). IOW: pride. Wanting my will to be done. It is always best to react prayerfully instead of compulsively. If I do not keep a prayerful mindset throughout my day, I will mindlessly react to everything any way I please with no reguard to what God’s will is at that moment.
Frequent examinations of conscience and short moments of prayer throughout the day are beneficial for this purpose - to remind yourself to be more mindful.
It might also help to think about your concept of God. St Therese of Lisieux said: “What a sweet joy it is to think that God is just; that he takes into account all of our weaknesses and imperfections”. Many people think harshly about God’s justice, but He takes into account all of our life experiences and all of the injustices we have suffered that have hindered us - all of our brokenness. It is a good thing to recongnize one’s sinfulness and see his shortcomings - and we ought to strive to overcome them, but one must be careful not to reduce God to the level of an angry tyrrant who is waiting for our next fall. You will not conquer your faults overnight, but it should be some consolation to know that God will reward you for your desire to be so pure.
Peace,
~donna

Beautiful, Donna! Your description of how we must repent by humbling ourselves before our God and trust Him to heal us is just beautiful. Thanks for your ministry.
D.