Genuine remorse

[stayinthelight]

I’m not sure this is the right place to write this…

But I had a thought today. Maybe someone else has had this thought before. Maybe centuries ago. I don’t know.

But I was thinking about the importance of genuine remorse for our sins.

I’m not just talking about obvious sins… but even seemingly small sins, like little moments of prideful thinking, or not feeling or giving genuine gratitude to God for a good moment.

Once we become aware of any small (or “small”?) sin, I think it is important that we allow or encourage ourselves to feel genuine remorse. And to use that remorseful suffering as a prayer to God. To offer that suffering to God.

I believe Christ transforms our miserable, worthless suffering into meaningful, joyful suffering.

We’re going to suffer no matter who we are. But somehow Christ transforms that unpleasant inevitable suffering into something good and beautiful. Lately it’s almost like I seek out suffering. Not in a self-hating way… but because I love others and want to suffer in order to offer my suffering as a prayer to God.

So today, when I noticed that I was feeling prideful or doing something displeasing to God, I looked for the genuine remorse inside myself… and with Christ’s help, I found it and brought it to mind and kept it there, and allowed myself to suffer in a remorseful way… and offer that suffering to God. For all the people I love. For all good things.

I’m not sure why I’m writing this. Maybe it’s important. Maybe it might help someone in some way.

I’m not necessarily asking for comments or thoughts. Feel free to leave comments. I might not respond to all or any. I’m not sure. Please don’t take it personally if I don’t.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I’m not sure this is the right place to write this…

But I had a thought today. Maybe someone else has had this thought before. Maybe centuries ago. I don’t know.

But I was thinking about the importance of genuine remorse for our sins.

I’m not just talking about obvious sins… but even seemingly small sins, like little moments of prideful thinking, or not feeling or giving genuine gratitude to God for a good moment.

Once we become aware of any small (or “small”?) sin, I think it is important that we allow or encourage ourselves to feel genuine remorse. And to use that remorseful suffering as a prayer to God. To offer that suffering to God.

I believe Christ transforms our miserable, worthless suffering into meaningful, joyful suffering.

We’re going to suffer no matter who we are. But somehow Christ transforms that unpleasant inevitable suffering into something good and beautiful. Lately it’s almost like I seek out suffering. Not in a self-hating way… but because I love others and want to suffer in order to offer my suffering as a prayer to God.

So today, when I noticed that I was feeling prideful or doing something displeasing to God, I looked for the genuine remorse inside myself… and with Christ’s help, I found it and brought it to mind and kept it there, and allowed myself to suffer in a remorseful way… and offer that suffering to God. For all the people I love. For all good things.

I’m not sure why I’m writing this. Maybe it’s important. Maybe it might help someone in some way.

I’m not necessarily asking for comments or thoughts. Feel free to leave comments. I might not respond to all or any. I’m not sure. Please don’t take it personally if I don’t.

I dont think remorse is to dwell on it. remorse serves to you so that you become aware that you went wrong, confess or ask for forgivessn to penance and … get rid of the remorse.

 

[stayinthelight]

I dont think remorse is to dwell on it. remorse serves to you so that you become aware that you went wrong, confess or ask for forgivessn to penance and … get rid of the remorse.

I never said that we should dwell on it. (Not that you were accusing me of saying that.) But I’m not sure what you mean by “dwell”.

I don’t think it’s just about being aware that we went wrong and then confessing it. Christianity isn’t just about a list of don’ts and do’s. (Again I’m not saying that you were implying that.) The list of do’s and don’ts is important, though.

Whenever we become aware of any sin, no matter how seemingly small, we can ask Christ to allow us the gift of remorseful suffering. I don’t think genuine, selfless remorse is possible without Christ.

We can experience selfish remorse. For example, if a person spends his life smoking cigarettes and then finds out he has lung cancer, he might experience deep remorse. But that’s selfish remorse.

I think we need Christ in order to experience the kind of remorseful suffering I’m talking about. It’s about understanding how every “tiny” little sin (like prideful thinking) affects and hurts the Body of Christ.

And then with Christ’s help, we are able to experience that remorseful suffering… and offer it as a prayer to God.

I’m not a Catholicism expert. By any stretch of the imagination. But I have thoughts, and lately I’ve had a lot of thoughts.

 

[Blenderx]

I think you’ve got the right idea- we are all called to take up our crosses and offer our sufferings in union with Christ.

I do have to say, however, that it seems you are focusing too much on the feeling and experiencing of it. Feelings are really the lowest part of the soul. We can experience true and perfect contrition without any actual feelings attached to it. It is the will that gives merit. Putting too much weight on the experience of it and feelings can also lead to a sort of hidden pride… because they give us a level of satisfaction. The soul that suffers severe dryness… the feeling of being totally barren, without any feeling for God or prayers or doing good… what they offer to God is most pure.

I’m not just talking about obvious sins… but even seemingly small sins, like little moments of prideful thinking, or not feeling or giving genuine gratitude to God for a good moment.

Thoughts are not sins, unless we purposefully choose to dwell on them. We also cannot control our feelings, and it isn’t a sin not to feel gratitude. It would be a small fault to not give gratitude (this takes place in the will- regardless of feeling it or not) to God for the good we receive- we need not do this every good moment, but often enough thanking God for everything, name some particular things.

 

[stayinthelight]

I think you’ve got the right idea- we are all called to take up our crosses and offer our sufferings in union with Christ.

I do have to say, however, that it seems you are focusing too much on the feeling and experiencing of it. Feelings are really the lowest part of the soul. We can experience true and perfect contrition without any actual feelings attached to it. It is the will that gives merit. Putting too much weight on the experience of it and feelings can also lead to a sort of hidden pride… because they give us a level of satisfaction. The soul that suffers severe dryness… the feeling of being totally barren, without any feeling for God or prayers or doing good… what they offer to God is most pure.

Thoughts are not sins, unless we purposefully choose to dwell on them. We also cannot control our feelings, and it isn’t a sin not to feel gratitude. It would be a small fault to not give gratitude (this takes place in the will- regardless of feeling it or not) to God for the good we receive- we need not do this every good moment, but often enough thanking God for everything, name some particular things.

I don’t know if I agree with everything in your comment. I probably don’t. And I’m not great with words.

“Putting too much weight on the experience of it and feelings can also lead to a sort of hidden pride… because they give us a level of satisfaction.”

That brings up a good point. If I become aware of the pride you are talking about, that takes me back to the beginning, asking Christ to help me feel genuine remorse for it. It’s a beautiful kind of suffering. It’s like I’m sharing my awareness or mind with Christ, or at least trying my best to do it. It’s relatively new for me.

It’s about trying to invite Christ into my mind in every moment, and that requires awareness. Trying to cultivate a sense of awareness and thoughts and feelings.

“Thoughts are not sins, unless we purposefully choose to dwell on them.”

That does not feel true. I believe thoughts can be sinful.

“We also cannot control our feelings, and it isn’t a sin not to feel gratitude.”

I probably disagree with both of those statement, but I’m not sure.

I don’t want to seem rude in this comment. But sometimes in the past I would agree with people online just to agree with them, to avoid possibly hurting anyone’s feelings. I don’t like that approach.

That doesn’t mean I have all the answers. We all have something to offer and it’s good to exchange ideas. I’m not great at my online social skills. But I try.