Since I can't go to confession, I've felt to be beyond God's forgiveness

[CurlySmirly]

For a while now I’ve felt like I’m never contrite enough to be forgiven of my sins. Since COVID-19 has shut down activities in my diocese, this means I can’t go to confession either. Maybe I’m overthinking things, but I feel like I can never meet the requirements for perfect contrition. What does it exactly mean to love God above all things, and to be sorry for your sins because you have offended God? While I am sorry that I have offended the Lord and want his forgiveness, I don’t know if I truly love him above all things. I want to be forgiven above all things, and at the moment I want him above all things, but is this truly love? I have prayed for God to give me perfect contrition, but I’ve been unable to shake this feeling that I am forgiven. I would like to trust in God’s mercy, but God’s mercy is dependent on my ability to be truly sorrowful for my sins. The fact that i will still have to go to confession after this is all over even if God forgives me also makes me feel like I’ve not been completely made anew.

 

[po18guy]

1. Talk to Father. By phone.

 

[otjm]

Depending on the area, parishes may be open for confession.

Reconciliation is not based on feelings; it is based on our intellectually admitting our guilt, asking for forgiveness, and intellectually understanding that we are forgiven, no matter what our feelings are.

Feelings come and feelings go, and they are not necessarily correlated to reality. Making decisions based on feelings is a seriously problematic way of making choices.

Most people who commit suicide do so based on emotions; they are stuck so deep into them they lose all contact with reality.

And no, I am not even suggesting that the problems you are having lead to suicide; it is an example of people operating on feelings in the extreme.

The point remains, feelings have no necessary connections with reality. Getting ankle deep, or knee deep, or hip deep in your feelings about your “guilt” is akin to what I call navel gazing; in other words, you are looking inward and going round and round about your feelings; in the meanwhile, you live in the world and need to take part in it - if a student, in studying; if at work, in whatever your occupation is (or any other given status).

We cannot exactly control our feelings; as noted, they come and they go. But we do not have to dwell on them, and get deeper and deeper into the whirlpool they can create.

 

[Kei]

Just be contrite the best you can and trust in God. You can pray to Him for help to do that.

Remember, the father rushed to the prodigal son! God is not out to “get us” when we have made a mistake. Each moment is a precious gift.

 

[Parkeri1313]

Christ is our High Priest
So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:14-16‬ ‭NLT

Hi CurlySmirly,

I am very sorry you are dealing with these issues. I can certainly understand your perspective here. The Bible tells us the Jesus is our High Priest and that you can come directly to Him for your needs and you can do so right now in prayer. Also in Matthew 27:51 we read that, “… the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and …” which means that the barrier between us and our Heavenly Father is NO MORE !!! Because Jesus’ death (& resurrection) on the cross. You can come directly to God right no and ask for forgiveness of sins. You don’t have to wait.

Romans 8:1 is something that is very relevant in my life lately and I’d like to share that with you as well. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. If you are a follower of Jesus then you no longer live under the weight of condemnation and this is available to both you and me (and others of course).

I’ll pray for you as well.

Thanks for sharing with the forum and may the Lord richly bless you today.

Mark

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
I Corinthians 3:11 NKJV

 

[benedictinehopeful]

God is not looking for an excuse to damn you, or playing “gotcha games” with you where He tries to catch you when you are in a state of mortal sin. If you intend to go to confession but cannot, God is aware of this. Pray for His mercy and try to put out of your mind things you can do nothing about, like the availability of confession.