Dealing with guilt

[CompSciGuy]

I feel like I am constantly plagued by guilt. And the hard thing is it is not just guilt for sins that I have done recently, but for sins I have done before, even years ago, even sins that I have already confessed. It is like a lingering shame and a feeling of weight against my own personal character. Regardless of any attempt that I make to amend my life and my actions it feels as if the knowledge of my past sins holds me back. Even if I do make progress I feel like it does not matter because I have messed up in the past. I don’t consciously doubt that God has forgiven me but the actual feeling of guilt is still oppressive. I wonder does anyone else struggle with this.

 

[Mystical_Seeker]

Does it feel like the guilt is there to somehow keep you from being too proud? Like if you didn’t feel guilty all the time, you might put off some aura that you think you’re better than anyone else?

I ask because sometimes I think we get into this mentality that because we are imperfect, we always are supposed to be a little anxious and maybe self-judgmental. I think those are very limiting ideas, though, and can be worked through because I don’t they foster true humility as much as the danger they can bring about self-loathing – humility’s evil cousin.

 

[pensmama87]

I feel like I am constantly plagued by guilt. And the hard thing is it is not just guilt for sins that I have done recently, but for sins I have done before, even years ago, even sins that I have already confessed. It is like a lingering shame and a feeling of weight against my own personal character. Regardless of any attempt that I make to amend my life and my actions it feels as if the knowledge of my past sins holds me back. Even if I do make progress I feel like it does not matter because I have messed up in the past. I don’t consciously doubt that God has forgiven me but the actual feeling of guilt is still oppressive. I wonder does anyone else struggle with this.

I struggle with this on occasion too. Unlike Mystical Seeker, in my case I would say that these feelings are a manifestation of pride - I still think “oh, I can’t believe I did that,” and it shows that I am very concerned about my self-image and wanting to be perfect - not to avoid sin and please God, but to please myself and others.

I feel like these feelings are temptations from the Enemy and are not there to help me grow spiritually - they hold me back. The fact that you feel oppressed by these feelings and that they “hold you back” and it “does not matter because you have messed up in the past” suggests to me very strongly that these feelings do not come from God and are not to your spiritual benefit.

 

[hazcompat]

This is the exact homily from our pastor at todays mass. Essentially His message was that the enemy wants us to feel “unforgiveable”. He separates us from the Love of God, while the Holy Spirit unites us through The Son to The Father. He recommended the sacrament of reconciliation as a place for the grace necessary to overcome the accuser.

Peace

 

[JRKH]

I feel like I am constantly plagued by guilt. And the hard thing is it is not just guilt for sins that I have done recently, but for sins I have done before, even years ago, even sins that I have already confessed. It is like a lingering shame and a feeling of weight against my own personal character. Regardless of any attempt that I make to amend my life and my actions it feels as if the knowledge of my past sins holds me back. Even if I do make progress I feel like it does not matter because I have messed up in the past. I don’t consciously doubt that God has forgiven me but the actual feeling of guilt is still oppressive. I wonder does anyone else struggle with this.

Yes - many of us struggle with this to some degree or other.
But truly - can be a blessing and not simply a curse if it can be placed in proper perspective.
This is something the evil one does not want you to figure out…
The Blessing is that such guilt reminds us of WHY we will never do such things again.
It can reenforce us in our journey forward into holiness.
Our sorrow and our victory over such sins and sinful habits serve as signposts, markers indicating growth. In fact when we think of a past sin we should HOPE that we feel guilty all over again.

Now don’t get me wrong - - we must guard against despair for that is what the evil one seeks to implant into us. He tries to turn this healthy disgust that enlightens our life into something dark and without gain.

Surprisingly I have found that mocking the evil one at such times to be an effective defense. When the guilt seems oppressive, I chortle - even laugh at him and his pitiful attempt to get me to despair.
“Yes I remember”, I tell him, “but I know that I am forgiven and the memory of it only reenforces my resolve to not do it again. So be off with you, there is nothing for you here.”
This always helps for as C.S. Lewis pointed out, the Devil cannot abide being mocked.

Peace
James