Stubborn with sin

[hamilte3]

I need some advice or to be pointed to a good source.

I beleive I’m blind to a sin and can’t quite p(name removed by moderator)oint it. It may be related to “anger” for instance and is a bit unconscious. I actually beleive that habits can be so formed into our psyche that they can become unconscious to you. And yet, you can still be quite responsible or guilty of that sin for more then one reason. That makes me even more eager to root it out.

But what if I am one of those who will never listen and am stuck for that reason? I think I have layers of rationalizations that I can’t break through. I don’t even know how to pray for enlightenment since I don’t know what I’m praying for. And I don’t know what type of spiritual advice to look for since I only have a slight idea of what it is. I’m not generally a stubborn person, so I’m not sure if I should pray or look for advice that will conquer this stubborness. (And to make it even more complicated, I think my rationalizations include looking for a spiritual solution with the hope that I won’t find it still! Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?).

Any ideas would be most appreciated.

 

[fred_conty]

The cause of darkness is sin. That means our intellect, due to the effects of sin, is in a fog and simply cannot see sin. So it is good to see that we will not recognize our own sins as sins because we are living in darkness of sin(s) or because that the after math of sin is leaving us in darkness. Yet it will look to the person as if that is ok. But not so.

Sin is loving what God hates and hating what God loves, and a sinner lives in utter confusion of the two not knowing which is which. Sin seems virtuous, and virtue seems sinful. And the degree of darkness depends on quantity and serverness of the sin(s).

That is the problem. The solution is obvious…light. And who is the light? Christ. And how do we gain access to Christ the light? The sacraments, confession and communion, frequently, for he left his forgivness and food for our souls in the sacraments of his mercy and love.

As the blind man hearing Christ comming down the road said, “Lord help me”. And Jesus said, “what do you want of me?” And the man said, “that I may see.”

No better prayer can be said than “that I may see.”

Just some thoughts.​

“I came to Jesus as I was, so weary worn and sad. I found in him a resting place, and he had made me glad.” (hymn)

 

[hamilte3]

The cause of darkness is sin. That means our intellect, due to the effects of sin, is in a fog and simply cannot see sin. So it is good to see that we will not recognize our own sins as sins because we are living in darkness of sin(s) or because that the after math of sin is leaving us in darkness. Yet it will look to the person as if that is ok. But not so.

Sin is loving what God hates and hating what God loves, and a sinner lives in utter confusion of the two not knowing which is which. Sin seems virtuous, and virtue seems sinful. And the degree of darkness depends on quantity and serverness of the sin(s).

That is the problem. The solution is obvious…light. And who is the light? Christ. And how do we gain access to Christ the light? The sacraments, confession and communion, frequently, for he left his forgivness and food for our souls in the sacraments of his mercy and love.

As the blind man hearing Christ comming down the road said, “Lord help me”. And Jesus said, “what do you want of me?” And the man said, “that I may see.”

No better prayer can be said than “that I may see.”

Just some thoughts.​

“I came to Jesus as I was, so weary worn and sad. I found in him a resting place, and he had made me glad.” (hymn)

Very beautiful words. Thank you! I think the answers you offer are primary: the sacraments. Are these the only answer to pursue for now as I do not attend daily mass and I receive confession every 30-90 days. Daily mass is probably more possible for me now that I work near my parish. Yet, if I attend as much as the Holy Spirit has called me too, is there some exercise or other reference someone might have if this does not go far enough (i.e. I need some kind of personal prayer, examination, practice or something enlightening via spiritual reading)?

 

[fons_vitae]

I’m not that great with spiritual exercises, but I’ve always stuck with the Divine Office to good effect. divineoffice.org/

 

[ACanthony]

Hello! First of all, take courage, because your brothers worldwide are struggling with sin. Even just the desire to grow in virtue is a good start. I agree with what Fred Conty said. To conquer our sin (included in that is rationalization) we need LIGHT, that is, the light of Christ. We need to first know who Christ is, and second, we need to grow to emulate Him (it’s hard, but He did command us to follow Him). So know Him and become like Him. We certainly can’t become like Him if we don’t know Him. An artist wouldn’t be able to draw a picture of you if he didn’t first know what you looked like.

The beauty of God is that He tells us who He is in the Bible. What He likes is all written down. I would suggest reading the Bible on a fairly daily basis (by all means, just focus on a few verses and let that sink in rather than aiming to read the whole thing at once).

Now, the harder part (the Pharisees were good at reading Scripture too but they didn’t do a good job of following Christ now did they?). To become like Christ. I find that going to Mass frequently (daily if possible) is the best way. Receiving the Eucharist and knowing that Christ feeds us spiritually. It does strengthen us. Prayer too. It’s hard, yes I know, but we must pray. We can’t just ‘try’. Do we try to eat? Do we try to drink water? No, we do them, and so we must with prayer. The Holy Rosary is a great prayer. So is the Litany of Humility (which may be good for overcoming pride which I think you alluded to).

I encourage your efforts in trying to grow in virtue. It’s a struggle, well, often. I find myself slipping a lot. Jesus does tell us though in Scripture that if we seek Him we WILL find Him. If we knock, He will open the door. How much do we TRULY want to become like Him? Do we want to live how the world is (crazy most of the time, striving for pleasure frequently) or do we want true meaning, true peace, the peace that Christ offers? It’s often a daily battle —Read Paul’s Chapter 7 of Romans. The struggle is right there! But over time, gradually, we will grow strong.

It probably wouldn’t help you took all of my suggestions at once. Why don’t you start off with a nice and simple prayer you can consistently say every day (the Litany of Humility, the Our Father…now with your whole heart, don’t just say the words) and then also read a book on Spirituality (a recommendation: Surrender by Father Larry Richards, or any book by Fr. Benedict Groeschel).

Despite all of your rationalizations and your sins, and even failings and falls, God hears your voice and has a great plan for you, a plan to prosper you and give you the peace that not only will help you in this world to live a most joyful life, but it will give you a glimpse of the divine. Our planet is not our home. We were made for a much greater place. We were made to live with God forever and I know at the deepest part of your soul your soul yearns for that. May God give you much grace and may the joyful spirit of St. Francis of Assisi be with you!

Blessings,
Anthony