Does the devil use scrupulosity to keep us from knowing our real sins?

[turtle18]

I’ve had some people in the past tell me that they deal with “scrupulosity” when it comes to confession. Now a couple of people I know who have said this can be very mean to other people sometimes and sometimes they can be selfish. I am not trying to judge or anything – these are things that are apparent from their behavior but they don’t realize how they are acting. (And I know I am just as guilty of that.) So it seems sometimes they are imagine they are committing sins and then by focusing on that they are not seeing what their real sins are.

 

[The_Otaku]

Of course the devil can use scrupulosity against you, just as he can use any other mental, physical, spiritual, and psychological impairment, vice, etc.

Just as Heaven goes to great lengths to help us, Hell interferes where ever possible to counter the good, create problems, or make existing problems worse. Scrupulosity imparticular, is one of those internal problems the devil can have alot of leverage with if the person is frantic and doesn’t keep their scrupulous tendencies under control. Because doubt plays such a huge part in the workings of the mind of a scrupulous person, the demons can focus on that individually to make it worse, piggy-backing on the problems in that area that are already there, putting thoughts in your mind and so forth.

Now, your question is more specific. It’s asking whether or not the devil/demons can keep your sins from you. I honestly cannot answer that. I would believe, however, that if the person is so far deep into this problem that it inhibits them from thinking rationally or clearly at any given time, especially where the sins are concerned, that parts of the sins may be obscured in how the person perceives them or they will not fully realize the extent of their sins. The demons would definitely want this, of course, because they would want you to be confused, and if in mortal sin, to stay that way using your uncertainty to keep you there and possibly commit them again.

To be even more specific to your question, I would go so far as to say that the demons put thoughts in the heads of the scrupulous person that are not sins, or are borderline sins in order to get the person frantic and preoccupied with these matters, when the real sins are going unattended, which is also their plan.

This is all the more reason to call on Jesus, Mary, and the angels for help. If you ask God to reveal to you what your sins are, and pray for the ability and grace to know and acknowledge them, then any tampering the devils may have done will be undone at least long enough to get to confession at get these things sorted out, which is also a bonus, since you will get the advice of a priest.