Discouragement in confession

[fyrefly]

HI, I am new to writing on this forum, so thanks for reading. I want to know how to make confession a better experience.

I have heard that confession should help us grow in our spirituality, but it often just seems like a place for me to repeat the same sins. I know I am supposed to CHANGE, but change is hard. I have failed so oten in amendment that I am always so ashamed to go back to confession. …

… But I went yesterday anyway after several months of not going and just attending mass without receiving Jesus in communion <----that’s not easy, missing Jesus, but I was so afraid to go to confession, so discouraged about my lack of change. At one point I had to force myself to attend mass, even though I felt dread to go. All that I seemed to think of at mass is how sinful I am.

I have to say that when I went to confession, it was no great feeling either. But I will do what I can to change, which is the most important thing. I praised God with my empty heart. I raised my hands up to Him eventhough my fourteen yr old daughter gave me a suspicious look ( that’s just her way ).

I hope to post again, sometime later. I need to communicate with people who love God.

 

[Belle10]

Hi fyrefly, welcome to CAF

I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. Yes, confession is very important, and a place where we can receive some of the greatest graces. Do we always feel those graces? No. Thankfully, we know God’s truth isn’t dependent upon our feelings – we believe even when we might not be feeling really excited and happy.

For me, sometimes confession is an amazing experience – I literally feel a flow of grace, like a wave of peace, come over me as I am absolved of my sins. Sometimes I don’t feel that wave – but I know it is still there, because Jesus said so.

Ask Him to help you change, ask Him to help you overcome sin. He will. It might not happen overnight (it doesn’t for most people!) but trust that if you are being open and honest with the Lord, He will come to your aid…

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Jesus told St. Faustina so many wonderful, amazing things, which she recorded (at His direction) in her Diary. I highly encourage you to look into the message of Divine Mercy – it has blessed my life so much. (Go to thedivinemercy.org/ for lots of great information.)

The following is an excerpt from her Diary (bolding mine) – I hope it encourages you and helps you in your journey as it has in mine. God bless you! :hug1:

Our Lord said “When you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul…” and “Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy” (1602) Make your confession before Me. The person of the priest is… only a screen. Never analyze what sort of a priest that I am making use of; open your soul in confession to Me, and I will fill it with My light." (1725)

 

[Jimdandy]

… I praised God with my empty heart. I raised my hands up to Him

EXACTLY the right thing to do when confronted with the ‘Dark night of the soul’-when one cannot perceive Him, He is closest.

{QUOTE}
even though my fourteen yr old daughter gave me a suspicious look ( that’s just her way ). -seems like you still have your sense of humor!

We all share in God’s love.

 

[kristie_m]

It’s so easy to get discouraged, but please know that no matter how you feel, and no matter how many times you repeat those same sins, God’s mercy and compassion are real and available to you any time you ask.

I go to the same priest each time for confession, and I asked him once if he ever tired of listening to the same old thing each time. He jokingly asked if I thought I should get more creative with my sins.

I also know how hard it is to go to Mass without receiving the Eucharist. That, probably more than anything is what brings me back to the confessional each time.

I think the enemy uses our guilt and shame to keep us away from reconciliation…and sometimes in my own life, he has succeeded in convincing me that God won’t forgive me if I keep making the same mistakes so why bother asking. But it’s important to remember, that there is a reason he is called the father of lies. I think it really burns him when we ignore his lies and seek out God no matter how bad we think we are.

I’ll pray for you, my friend.

 

[fyrefly]

Thanks Belle, JimDandy and Kristie. I have a special place in my memory and heart for that Psalm, Belle, since my childhood neighbor gave me a hand-made wall hanging with it. I hung it up for years in my bedroom back home. Thanks for the reminding.

Hey----“JimDandy to the rescue”—isn’t there a song like that??

The advice on how to handle discouragement helps, Kristie.!

Thanks a heap and God bless you all!!

 

[Epistemes]

Why bother going to confession? More than likely the priest is going to be daydreaming or thinking about the next thing he needs to do on his schedule while you’re in there spilling your guts, honestly believing that this man in the cloth actually has something worthwhile to contribute to your improvement when more than likely he’s telling each and every person who walks into confession that day the very same thing and dealing out the same penances like it’s some sort of assembly line. I mean, really, have some integrity for yourself and get out of the farce while you can.

 

[fyrefly]

Gee is this suppose to shock me?
or is it meant to be ironic??

It may seem to you that it is a waste of time, but don’t let it get to you like that. When I feel I have to talk more in confession, I just call the rectory and make an appointment. I often too have to cut my confessions short of the extra talking because I want for others behind me to go to confession too. I look at it more positively—I give others enough time to go too, because I want for them to find the peace that often evades me. Maybe this action is a prayer.

 

[kristie_m]

Gee is this suppose to shock me?
or is it meant to be ironic??

Pay no heed to that last post, Fyrefly. I just checked out some of the lp’s works on other threads and there are some issues there.

 

[fyrefly]

Thanks Kristie, I too went and looked at the other posts…and then it encouraged me to edit my post and write the extra stuff.

 

[kage_ar]

Why bother going to confession? More than likely the priest is going to be daydreaming or thinking about the next thing he needs to do on his schedule while you’re in there spilling your guts, honestly believing that this man in the cloth actually has something worthwhile to contribute to your improvement when more than likely he’s telling each and every person who walks into confession that day the very same thing and dealing out the same penances like it’s some sort of assembly line. I mean, really, have some integrity for yourself and get out of the farce while you can.

Dude, I work for a Parish. I have the blessing of working with good and holy Priests - these men love and care for people. Pray that you will find your faith again.

 

[LilyM]

Why bother going to confession? More than likely the priest is going to be daydreaming or thinking about the next thing he needs to do on his schedule while you’re in there spilling your guts, honestly believing that this man in the cloth actually has something worthwhile to contribute to your improvement when more than likely he’s telling each and every person who walks into confession that day the very same thing and dealing out the same penances like it’s some sort of assembly line. I mean, really, have some integrity for yourself and get out of the farce while you can.

Well, given that confession is a sacrament from God, and that the priest plays but a supporting role, really, just as he does with confecting the Eucharist, you are dead wrong.

Of course I’m assuming in saying this that you don’t similarly see the Eucharist as a farce or a waste of time even though the priests who celebrate that are often beset with precisely the same human frailties.