Discouraged.

[Chrystal]

I get so discouraged sometimes when I sin. I know that it is a sin in itself to despair, but it’s hard when it seems like you are trying to be holy, and a good person, and you feel like you keep letting God down. It’s almost like I can picture God looking down at me with a frown saying, “You failure!”
I find myself going to confession more often, so that I can try to be in the state of grace, but it’s like even when I’ve confessed, I still feel far from God, and when I pray, sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself. I know you all have seen many posts like this before, I just wanted to share that, and maybe get some (name removed by moderator)ut. I also would like to clarify something. When you sin, if you pray the Act of Contrition, does God instantly forgive you then and there if you are truly sorry, and as long as you plan to go to confession?

 

[StCsDavid]

First of all, God loves you. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that God is on our side. We picture him watching over us looking for flaws instead of walking with us offering guidance, direction, and a shoulder to lean on.

You’re not alone in your struggle.
Rom.7

1. 
   *]15] I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thingI hate.
   St. Paul had his own challenges, too, yes?
   
   God forgives you of your sin the minute you commit it. He already knows your sins of the past and the ones you will commit, tomorrow. Your act of contrition is your own conversion of the heart that brings you back into communion with this mystical body of Christ. If you have truly sinned mortally, you need the grace of the sacraments to bring you back into full communion with His Church.
   
   He does not frown upon you. He opens up his arms as wide as he can, dies on the cross for you and me, and says, “Come home to me because I love you.”
   
   You might enjoy my most recent blog talking about mortal sin.

 

[Miserissima]

I get so discouraged sometimes when I sin. I know that it is a sin in itself to despair, but it’s hard when it seems like you are trying to be holy, and a good person, and you feel like you keep letting God down. It’s almost like I can picture God looking down at me with a frown saying, “You failure!”

You have so many good questions!

First off, despair is when you totally turn your back on God and His grace and give up. It’s not a sin to get discouraged. In fact, it’s the rebounding that makes you stronger and more grateful for God’s love for you.

I find myself going to confession more often, so that I can try to be in the state of grace, but it’s like even when I’ve confessed, I still feel far from God, and when I pray, sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself

Think of a sin as cutting the yarn that ties you to God. Every time you tie that piece of yarn back together through Confession, you’re making it shorter, right? Therefore, you’re getting closer to Him.

When you sin, if you pray the Act of Contrition, does God instantly forgive you then and there if you are truly sorry, and as long as you plan to go to confession?

Depends on the type of sin (venial v. mortal) and how “perfect” your contrition is. But it seems that you may be a little scrupulous in this regard?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Saint Paul had the same problem. See Romans 7

15* I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22* For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23* but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24* Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

We all fall. When some fall they sit there in the mud puddle bemoaning their fate. When a saint falls, he picks himself up, dusts himself off, and tries again.

We once had a problem with leaky balloons in a research project. But, as someone explained to the general, we discovered that it wasn’t important how many leaks it had.
It was important that the number of patches matched the number of leaks. Likewise it isn’t important how often we fall. It is important that the number of times we repent and try again matches the number of falls.

 

[Chrystal]

Thank you all for your posts. I value your thoughs and your words are very uplifting.

 

[joanofarc3]

I get so discouraged sometimes when I sin. I know that it is a sin in itself to despair, but it’s hard when it seems like you are trying to be holy, and a good person, and you feel like you keep letting God down. It’s almost like I can picture God looking down at me with a frown saying, “You failure!”
I find myself going to confession more often, so that I can try to be in the state of grace, but it’s like even when I’ve confessed, I still feel far from God, and when I pray, sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself. I know you all have seen many posts like this before, I just wanted to share that, and maybe get some (name removed by moderator)ut. I also would like to clarify something. When you sin, if you pray the Act of Contrition, does God instantly forgive you then and there if you are truly sorry, and as long as you plan to go to confession?

I know exactly what you mean! I’m very much a perfectionist, so my failures discourage me because 1) I let my Father down, again, and 2) it’s a blow to my pride. What I do is, quick as I can, turn my discouragement into an act of humility and penance. Essentially I failed because I did not persevere in prayer to God in my temtation, and humility because, well, I’m a perfectionist. Hope this helps. God Bless.

 

[Newbie2]

It’s hard to balance trying to be holy with the knowledge that it is an ideal that we cannot achieve, here on earth.

Jesus understands. He was here too.