Do you repent over and over?

[johnnyjones]

To repent is to be contrite for sin and be disposed to changing ones ways. Are we not always repenting? There are times in my past (and now) I would hear to be a Christian one needs to repent. Sometimes that sounds like a “one time” act. I used to think of it that way but being sinners, and always falling into sin (I’ll speak for myself) I need to be repent-ING, and not just repent. Does anyone see my point and can you add clarity to what is probably real simple?

 

[Garyjohn2]

All our life is a repentance, in a way. The root work in Greek for repentance means to turn around, to go the other way. I think that all during our earthly lives we are in a state of repenting until that moment we face fully towards God and stay on the narrow path!

Still, there are other ways to look at it. One can be in a sinful lifestyle, repent and “turn the other way”, only to fall away again and turn their back on God. In that case, it would be accurate to say we repent over and over.

In my view, it can be a one-time event, a process, or usually both.

 

[Polycarp1]

It is important to have the sacrament of reconciliation often. Monthly if not weekly. As a person grows in humility and matures in faith more sins are revealled to us by the Holy Spirit. I find that I am aware of sins now that I wouldn’t have bothered confessing a few years ago.

 

[po18guy]

Our Lord, being an infinite God, is willing to forgive us infintely, if we repent and do penance.

Luke 17:3-4
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)
Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sin against thee, reprove him: and if he do penance, forgive him. And if he sin against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day be converted unto thee, saying, I repent; forgive him.

When Prof. Scott Hahn was a fairly recent convert, and becoming familiar with receving the Sacraments, he expressed his frustration to his confessor: “Father, it seems like I am making no progress, as I am confessing the same sins over and over.” The Priest asked him in return, “What do you want, new sins?”

 

[martininthefiel]

Sin is like dirt: the more cleaning-up one does, the more one finds.

No sooner do I confess one sin, that I find several more. We are all sinners; that is why we are in need of God’s Grace. If we were perfectible by our own devices, we would not need the Church.

 

[JNdoum]

Generally, when I feel that i don’t have any more sins, it means that i’m in a state of spiritual stagnancy. I suppose there’s always room for improvement. Regularly recognizing and confessing our sins is healthy, and if they’re the same ones then it will feel positively wonderful to finally get rid of them.

 

[itullian]

yes

 

[Edmundus1581]

I am a weekly penitent, and usually for the same sins. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but, overall, there has been progress over the years.

The worst thing we can do is ever despair of God’s mercy, or become nervous of returning to the confessional.

There was a stage in my life when it was almost physically impossible to do anything practical about my recurring sins, because of my personal circumstances, and my confessor understood that. Since my outward circumstances have improved somewhat I bring my efforts and thoughts into the confessional (briefly!), and my confessor always commends me for the efforts I’m making and may have a useful comment.

 

[johnnyjones]

There was a stage in my life when it was almost physically impossible to do anything practical about my recurring sins, because of my personal circumstances, and my confessor understood that. Since my outward circumstances have improved somewhat I bring my efforts and thoughts into the confessional (briefly!), and my confessor always commends me for the efforts I’m making and may have a useful comment.

I think I can relate to what your saying. I haven’t quite heard anyone put it the way you did. I don’t want to get to personal right here on this post but in my mind I’m curious if your situation is similar to mine. Then again maybe it is something entirely different. Either way, your words gave me a certain thought process.